Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies reveals that Lionel Messi refused to exchange shirts with him after their Champions League quarter-final game.
Alphonso Davies was one of the stars in Bayern’s 8-2 quarter-final demolition of Barcelona in the Champions League.
He was outstanding both defensively — as he managed to keep Lionel Messi at bay the entire game — and in attack.
He set up Bayern’s fifth goal by skillfully dribbling past four players, before gliding deep into the Barcelona box to cut back a sublime assist for Joshua Kimmich to tuck home.
The 19-year-old revealed that after the match, he requested to swap shirts with Messi but the Argentine star was too upset and refused.
Speaking to the press after the game on Wednesday, Davies said: I asked for it [Messi’s shirt], but I think he was a little bit upset. Next time, maybe.”
The Canadian, however, said that the opportunity to play against Messi was a dream come true for him.
‘Honestly, I’m lost for words, a dream come true.’
‘My mum called me yesterday and then my dad hopped on the phone, and he was like: “So you’re playing against your favourite player, I see.”
‘And I went: “Yeah.” And then we both started laughing on the phone.
And honestly we couldn’t even believe it, because he knows that I looked up to Messi when I was younger, and now playing against him, it’s really nice.
Growing up, I used to watch him all the time and now I’m defending against him; it’s going to be a whole different ball game.’
The five-time Champions League winners, Bayern Munich, have progressed to the finals for the 11th time, following a 3-0 victory over Olympique Lyon.
They would go up against Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon on Sunday.
