Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini once claimed that Lionel Messi would have never scored his iconic Copa del Rey goal in Italy. Barcelona faced Athletic Bilbao in the final of the 2014/15 Copa del Rey at Camp Nou.
20 minutes into the game, the Argentinean picked up the ball at the halfway line and went on a mesmerizing run. La Pulga beat four men on the sidelines and skipped past another near the box, before slotting the ball into the net.
The Catalans went on to win the game 3-1, with Lionel Messi scoring another goal in the first half. However, it was the Argentinean’s first effort that left fans around the world spellbound. Chiellini, though, wasn’t too impressed.
However, speaking ahead of the Champions League final between Juventus and Barcelona in 2015, the legendary Italian acknowledged La Pulga as the best player in the past 30 years.
“It was a great goal by Messi, but I don’t think he could do that if he played in Italy. The defending is much better in Italy than Spain. Their attacking play might be a bit better but there defending is worse. But Messi is the best player in the past 30 years and we will have to keep a close eye on him in the final on Saturday,” said Chiellini (via forzaitalianfootball.com)
Unfortunately, Chiellini picked up a calf injury ahead of the final and missed the game. Juventus managed to keep Lionel Messi quiet on the night, but Barcelona still won 3-1, courtesy of goals from Neymar, Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez.
How many goals has Lionel Messi scored against Juventus?
Lionel Messi has appeared nine times against Juventus in his career, all in the Champions League, registering five wins, two draws and two defeats. The Argentinean has scored three goals and set up three more against the Bianconeri.
La Pulga’s first game against the Serie A giants was the 2014/15 final, where he set up Luis Suarez to score the Catalans’ second goal in a 3-1 win. Messi faced Juventus seven times during his time with Barcelona, winning three games.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner left Camp Nou in the summer of 2021 to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He came up against Juventus again in the group stages of the Champions League in the 2022/23 campaign, winning both games.
The 37-year-old currently plies his trade in the MLS at Inter Miami, having joined them in 2023. His contract expires at the end of this year.