'Messi just walks & walks... then it's a goal!' - Kieran Trippier reveals what it's like to play against 'best ever'

Atletico Madrid full-back Kieran Trippier has spoken with The Athletic about his Messi experience, ahead of Atletico Madrid's upcoming clash with Barcelona at Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday. Trippier faced Messi in last season's Champions League when he played for Tottenham Hotspur. Barcelona beat Tottenham 4-2 with Messi scoring two goals. Trippier joined Atletico Madrid during the summer transfer window.

Talking about the Tottenham vs Barcelona game last season, he said, "Everyone knows how good he is, but I think he turned up a few extra notches that night.

"He scored two and he must have hit the woodwork about four times. He was unbelievable."

When asked what it is like to defend against Messi, he added, "It’s weird in a way. He spends a lot of the game just walking and walking.

"You play against (Liverpool’s) Sadio Mane, for instance, and if you take your eye off him for a second, he’ll just dart in behind you.

"But with Messi, you look four times and he’s still there. It’s weird. A lot of the time he just walks and walks — and then, before you know it, it’s a goal.

"I’ve played against him a few times now and he’s so good at just picking up those little pockets of space. Before Barcelona have made three passes, he already knows where the ball’s going.

"It’s amazing how clever he is. Even when he’s walking like that, you’ve always got to be aware. He’s unbelievable, the best ever.

"But it’s not just Messi. There are the players around him. You can go through the whole Barcelona team… Arthur is an unbelievable player."