Barcelona: Lionel Messi was like a “child playing in the playground” as he scored a hat-trick to inspire Barcelona’s 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, his coach Luis Enrique said.
Making his first start in a month after recovering from a groin injury, Messi produced another virtuoso performance.
“We saw Messi play like a kid in the school playground today,” Luis Enrique told a news conference.
“Any other player would be shaking (after coming back from injury) but if we have come to expect anything from Messi, it’s that.
“It doesn’t matter how long he’s been out for or how many games he’s missed, he has a total understanding of football. Anyone who ever doubts Messi is naive.
“Those of us lucky enough to see him train every day know what he does. He helps in every sense and he is a reference point for us, without a doubt.” It was Messi’s latest exhibition following a two-goal masterpiece against Bayern Munich, managed by old boss Pep Guardiola, in a Champions League semi-final first leg in 2015.
“Since I’ve known him he’s always done things like that and he keeps doing it,” said Guardiola.
“This is not the first time he’s done this, I’ve seen him do it many times live before, but you have to congratulate him.”
