'He is the only genius in world football'- Former Real Madrid coach hails Messi and gives his verdict on Ronaldo
What's the story?
Former Real Madrid and England manager, Fabio Capello, has hailed FC Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi as the only genius in world football at the moment.
In case you didn't know...
The former England manager has been out of work since his short-lived managerial stint in China came to an end last year. Fabio Capello, well known for his coaching career which ranged from managing Milan to Real Madrid to the England national team, confirmed his retirement from coaching back in 2018.
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Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is enjoying another historic campaign with Barcelona. The 32 year old Argentine's statistics are staggering, as he has already scored 30 goals in all competitions in this campaign.
Leo Messi tops the goalscoring charts in LaLiga with 22 goals, and has also managed to scored 6 goals in Champions League in just 3 appearances. He is also one of the leading assist providers in the Spanish League with 10 assists. It is crystal clear that his breathtaking displays are one of the pivotal reasons for Barcelona's dominance.
The heart of the matter
Fabio Capello appeared before the press on Monday and hailed Messi as the only genius in world football.
"Leo Messi is not a footballer, he is a genius and the only genius in world football. He has not won much silverware with Argentina but that is because he cannot do it all alone", Capello said when asked about Messi as quoted by Marca.
Before his comments about Messi, the former Real Madrid coach praised Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming that Portuguese talisman is contributing a lot more to Juventus than meets the eye.
"Cristiano has woken up a lot of Juventus players. Bringing him to the club has been a wake-up call for many players and he has made them improve," Capello said.
"He is very important for Juventus because having someone as good as him at training every day and someone who takes care of himself in the way Ronaldo does, is hugely significant for a team that was coasting. It is obvious that he is desperate to win the Champions League with Juventus," the former Real Madrid coach concluded.
What's next?
Both Barcelona and Juventus have tough matches in the Champions League this week as they face Lyon and Atletico Madrid respectively. Messi and Cristiano are familiar with the occasion, and it is obvious that the superstars will want to give their best.