Former Real Madrid vice-captain Marcelo has described former Barcelona captain Lionel Messi as ‘evil’ on the pitch.
Marcelo, who spent 15 years at Real Madrid, winning 25 trophies with Los Blancos, noted that Messi was the toughest opponent he ever faced.
There’s no player the 35-year-old left-back lined up against was as hard to pin down as the Argentine legend, as he stressed that Lionel Messi is still one of the most talented in the game today.
The Brazilian defender revealed that Messi was even more challenging to manage when he was angry, admitting that he often tried to provoke the Argentine icon during matches.
In his recent interview, Marcelo emphasized that it was best to avoid provoking Messi, as his anger made him even more formidable to contend with.
Speaking to Cortes Podpah, Marcelo said:
“Messi didn’t talk during the games and I tried not to talk to him because he was quiet.”
“We always said that we should leave it like that because if you decided to obstruct him, you would provoke him and then he would get angry, and if he was angry, he became more and more difficult to handle.”
“He [Messi] is very evil. I tried to hit him a lot. I think he thinks before everyone else.”
Meanwhile, the Brazilian once shed some light on the experience he had with the 8th time Ballon d’Or holder in March last year.
Speaking to the Athletic, Marcelo described Messi as incredible and the toughest opponent he has ever faced, noting that he faced him 33 times in total for club and country.
Despite losing 16 of those matches to the Argentina captain, Marcelo managed to win 10 games against him during their many historic El Clasicos.
While speaking of the 2022 World Cup winner, Marcelo noted: ”Messi is incredible, the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced.”
Following his departure from Real Madrid during the 2022 summer transfer window, Marcelo made the move to Olympiacos in Greece.
However, the 35-year-old struggled to adapt to life at the Greek club and decided to terminate his contract in February 2023.
He ultimately decided to return to his childhood club, Fluminense, in Brazil.
Messi’s performance against Marcelo in Real Madrid
When looking back at Messi’s time at Barcelona, his performance against Marcelo’s Real Madrid stands out.
In a total of 45 matches across various competitions, including La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup, and the UEFA Champions League, Messi scored an impressive 26 goals, setting a record in El Clasico encounters.
This not only showcased his consistent ability to score but also demonstrated his mastery of being a game-changer in crucial moments.
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