Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli claims Cristiano Ronaldo’s only problem is that “he’s coincided with Lionel Messi, who’s the best of all time”.
Speaking to Marca ahead of Sevilla’s Copa del Rey last-16 first leg against Madrid on Wednesday, Sampaoli also vowed for his Sevilla side to “drown” Los Blancos and confessed his “dream” of coaching Messi one day, possibly as Argentina boss.
“Our idea is to play Madrid on their own turf,” he said.
“If the game develops in our box, we’d suffer due to their forwards, who are ‘cracks’.
“Our objective is to play with high pressure, drown them when they bring the ball out and get more possession than them.
“Reaching the quarter-finals is a dream but also a possibility, even if it’ll be difficult and almost unattainable if we go by history.
“Ronaldo? He’s a great player, especially in the final third of the pitch. He’s a decisive and defining footballer.
“His only problem is that, at his peak, he’s coincided with Messi, who’s the best of all time, or almost.
“Do I dream of coaching Messi? Coaching him will always be a desire of mine. I’ve always said that my desire to coach the Argentine national team had a lot to do with seeing him train every day.
“However, it hasn’t happened yet. Coaching Messi is still a dream, although it doesn’t only depend on me.”
