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.”
