Lionel Messi has completed football, says Harry Winks after Spurs defeat

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks has praised Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi, stating that he has “completed football”.

Spurs hosted the Catalan side on Wednesday night in the second round of fixtures in Group B of this season’s Champions League with the visitors leaving Wembley Stadium with all three points following their 4-2 victory.

Messi ultimately scored Barcelona’s winner yet again, with his two goals the difference between the two sides last night in London.

Spurs midfielder Winks spoke to reporters after the match and was understandably in awe of his counterpart. The young Englishman admitted that it was an honour to be on the same pitch as Messi and that it was a very proud moment in his career.

“I did enjoy it,” he told the Evening Standard. “To play against him was an honour. The result takes away a lot of the enjoyment from the game, but in years to come, when I look back and say I played against — in my opinion — the greatest player to ever play football, it will be a proud moment.

“It’s so difficult to reflect on that right now because we’ve lost and, ultimately, that’s the most important thing. I’m gutted.

“The only way I can really describe [facing him] is he’s just completed football. The man just knows where everybody is. His weight of pass is just exceptional. He’s just special. But everyone who has played against him has said the same thing for years.”

Kane praised Messi too

Speaking prior to kick-off, Kane was full of praise for the Argentina international. England’s captain revealed that he holds Messi as the highest standard of attacking quality in football, a level all aspiring strikers all wish to achieve.

Kane told reporters (via FourFourTwo): “He and [Cristiano] Ronaldo have gone above the levels others set in the past.

“When you’re scoring the number of goals that he is, 40, 50, 60 goals a season, as a striker, I want to match that, I want to do the same.

“He has definitely set the standard for the rest of us – he still is.

“He’s still scoring goals, so it motivates me to get even better and improve. Hopefully, one day, I can score as many, if not more, than he has.”

Is Tottenham’s Champions League campaign already over?

Defeat last night to Barcelona meant that Spurs are now two games into the group stages without a single point to their name.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side narrowly lost out in Italy last month to Inter Milan in the final moments of the match. Having put themselves ahead through talented Dane Christian Eriksen, late strikes from Mauro Icardi and Matias Vecino secured the win for the Italians and condemned Spurs to a disappointing loss.

This means that Spurs realistically need to beat Dutch side PSV both home and away in the next two fixtures and get some points against either Inter at home or away at the Nou Camp to drag themselves into a position to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Their next Champions League fixture is away to PSV on the 24th October.

The post Lionel Messi has completed football, says Harry Winks after Spurs defeat appeared first on Squawka News.

From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2O2BsZ4