Barcelona news has been dominated by Lionel Messi this year.
His publicly-voiced desire to leave during the summer caused quite the stir and the lack of clarity around his short-term future has hung over Camp Nou like a dark cloud.
Messi touched upon a wide range of issues in an interview he gave to Jordi Evole in La Sexta, some of which was carried and reprinted by Mundo Deportivo.
La administración de Leo Messi por CRISTIANO RONALDO #MessiEvole pic.twitter.com/0sV4UhhX4r
— Green Sports (@GreenSports_Ofi) December 27, 2020
One of the interesting tidbits to emerge from their conversation emerged when Evole asked Messi whether there are any athletes that he admires.
He responded in the affirmative, highlighting figures from tennis and basketball as well as a certain storied Portuguese rival currently plying his trade in Italy with Juventus.
“There are many athletes who are admirable,” he replied.
“Rafa Nadal, [Roger] Federer, LeBron [James]. In all sports there’s an athlete that stands out and is admirable for his work and what he does on a daily basis.
“Cristiano [Ronaldo is another example] in football. There are many. I admire all the athletes who stand out.”
Messi also spoke about the relationship he shares with his Barcelona teammates and who his best friend at the club is now that Luis Suarez has departed for Atletico Madrid.
The Argentine explained that he naturally leans on players he’s played with for a long time and have an intuitive understanding of the club’s culture.
“I get along well with everyone but [especially] the people who have been at the club for longer, [people] with whom I share affinity due to [longstanding] relationships of coexistence.”
