I mean OMG. Barcelona looked dead and buried, and they had a collection of really good to great players out there and PSG had them licked. PSG was by far the better team by a country mile.

Enter Messi, ten minutes later, game over.

I am old enough (31) to have lived through the entire Jordan Era, I am from Miami so I'm living through the Lebron era right now and I can honestly say I have never seen one man in a team sport have the effect Messi does on a team.

And I am a MASSIVE Jordan fan so it's not easy for me to say this.

Messi is by far the best athlete in team sports I have ever seen bar none. Today proved it for me, I already pretty much knew it but today with the crowd and the other players turning there game up when he stepped on the pitch it's really amazing.

Especially in a game with 11 men on a side it's a little easier in Basketball with just 5 men to a team, but have you seen one individual have more of an effect on there team then Lionel Messi?

Totti in his majestic pump at Roma.

He didn't do anything.

it was more due to bartra imo

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

He didn't do anything.

What? Created the pass which lead to the goal in being involved in the play.

-Having Barca far more decisive in possession up front and the sheer presence of him turning the psychological tide for Barca

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

He didn't do anything.

so him beating 2 players and passing to villa was nothing?

Doc wrote:Totti in his majestic pump at Roma.

Maradona.

as soon as messi came on psg opened up.

coincidence? nope.

He strolled around the pitch not moving the entire time he was on the pitch and even when he got the ball he gave a 1 yard pass and continued to stroll around.

He did nothing, Barca only needed one goal and it could have and probably would have happened without him.

He is important but tonight he did sod all.

If you start going to other sport, then no, its just not possible.

You named Jordan, he effected both attack and defence and was unblemished as a winner once he started winning. You cant have the same effect on football to that degree.

What about his last shot ever for the Bulls? On defence, he doubled up on Malone, stripped the ball, went down the other end an nailed the game winner. You just cant do that in football.

Anyway, no doubt Messi had a big mental impact in the game today. The goal wouldnt of happened without him either.

But really, I am in no mood to harp on about the greatness of Barcelona or in this case its players after crawling over the finish line like dogs because the team has forgotten that in football, you have to play without the ball aswell as with it.

Not even Messi can save you when you dont do this.

He was the game changer.

Mole is the anti-hero. Leave him alone

Great Leader Sprucenuce he participated in goal and most important he gave the team 100% energy. Which match were you watching? after he came died Barca players became alive and he opened ton of space for others and especially for Pedro to score

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

He strolled around the pitch not moving the entire time he was on the pitch and even when he got the ball he gave a 1 yard pass and continued to stroll around.

He did nothing, Barca only needed one goal and it could have and probably would have happened without him.

He is important but tonight he did sod all.

Probably would have scored" is not quantifiable given that they had no other chance aside from the one Messi created to beat two men and cause havoc in the box to allow Pedro an open shot.

The debate isn't what he did yet also what his presence causes to change the oppositions' behaviour and psyche, and it was no coincidence how the tide turn RIGHT when he came on.

Maradona carried Napoli and his country to be fair. Messi just with his reputation causes teams to go deeper to be fair. He has a great presence but not Maradona levels imo.

Come to think of it, maybe it was the subbing of Cesc "as useful as a penis flavoured lollipop" Fabregas and replacing Adriano with an actual CB that may have been more pivotal.

Be that as it may, disagree with Mole that he did "sod all". His presence clearly gave Barcelona than lift they needed, more direct option and that "fear" factor.

Mamad wrote:He was the game changer more. how can't you see that?

Because he wasn't, because he came on and they scored is nothing more than a coincidence.

He was strolling round the pitch like someone from the crowd that the stewards hadn't noticed.

I might accept he coming on might have gave the team confidence or PSG might have been scared by him because of the Aura he carries around but he really didn't do anything.

Game winning hockey assist

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Mamad wrote:He was the game changer more. how can't you see that?

Because he wasn't, because he came on and they scored is nothing more than a coincidence.

He was strolling round the pitch like someone from the crowd that the stewards hadn't noticed.

I might accept he coming on might have gave the team confidence or PSG might have been scared by him because of the Aura he carries around but he really didn't do anything.

It cannot be coincidental considering:

-Barca's possession up front was far more decisive and controlled in a team which did not suit PSG as opposed to when he was off
-Beat two men followed by a splitting pass which within seconds created an open chance for Pedro
-The fact that PSG had to deepen their line and nullify their counter to track their midfield back to mark Messi another factor.

Such an exponential change within the game within one stoppage of play cannot be a coincidence

Mole going against popular opinion as per his hipster agenda

AbraKebabra Alacalamb wrote:Maradona carried Napoli and his country to be fair. Messi just with his reputation causes teams to go deeper to be fair. He has a great presence but not Maradona levels imo.

I'm just throwing this out there and I could be dead wrong, have the people saying Maradona ever seen him actually play apart from the odd game on the internet or highlights?

Because there was a thread on how old everyone on here is and I don't remember seeing one person old enough to have fully witnessed Maradona.

Not to mention Messi is going to totally destroy any records Maradona holds for Argentina and any club records he may have. And when I say destroy I mean it. The world Cup obviously will be the one people point to but he can't win it until he wins it. It's not like he has a crack at it every year.

Zidane

The Franchise wrote:If you start going to other sport, then no, its just not possible.

You named Jordan, he effected both attack and defence and was unblemished as a winner once he started winning. You cant have the same effect on football to that degree.

What about his last shot ever for the Bulls? On defence, he doubled up on Malone, stripped the ball, went down the other end an nailed the game winner. You just cant do that in football.

Anyway, no doubt Messi had a big mental impact in the game today. The goal wouldnt of happened without him either.

But really, I am in no mood to harp on about the greatness of Barcelona or in this case its players after crawling over the finish line like dogs because the team has forgotten that in football, you have to play without the ball aswell as with it.

Not even Messi can save you when you dont do this.

Yep, it's really hard for me to say he has more of an effect then Jordan because my child hood was growing up watching every Jordan game.

And with 5 players of course Jordan can have more of an impact not to mention with all the crazy trophies you can win in football it's just hard to compare the sports.

But today just kind of proved it to me that with Barca playing as bad as they were and they were the walking dead out there you throw Messi in half fit and in 10 minutes he wins the game against a very good and underrated team.

I have much respect for PSG after this tie. They are building a monster if people will stay around.

And just to throw this out there, I seem to remember Alex being sold on the extreme cheap to PSG, boy would I love to have him in a Barcelona shirt. He could help us out in so many ways, it's signings like that we seem to miss on and end up throwing 20-30 mill on a guy marginally better.

Alex is or at least was (last time I watched him consistently) a good player, albiet a bit slow. A real defender, I will say that much...something which we continue to overlook.