Messi reveals Premier League club disliked even more than Real Madrid by Barcelona players

Leo Messi reveals which “Premier League club” Barcelona players liked even LESS than Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi has disclosed that Barcelona players harbored strong feelings of animosity towards a Premier League club, surpassing their rivalry with Real Madrid, a sentiment he never anticipated revealing.

At the age of 18, Messi conveyed these statements in a 2005 interview with the News of the World. This was a period of heightened tensions between Barcelona and Chelsea, stemming from a dramatic Champions League last-16 match at Stamford Bridge where the Blues staged a memorable comeback.

Just a week prior, José Mourinho sparked controversy with his remarks about referee Anders Frisk following the controversial dismissal of Didier Drogba in the first leg.

The two-legged series resulted in Barcelona players feeling wronged, and as they readied for a rematch with Chelsea in 2006, a young Messi did not mince words.

“There are [Barcelona] players here who hold stronger animosity towards Chelsea than Real Madrid,” he declared. “I never anticipated uttering those words. I never anticipated encountering a rivalry more intense than that between Boca and River Plate or Brazil and Argentina – yet here it is.”

Messi concluded, “We would prefer to face Arsenal, Manchester United, or any other team rather than be on the field with Chelsea.”

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