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What's the story?
Everton defender Lucas Digne has recalled his stint with Liga giants Barcelona back in 2016 and has opened up about what it is like to train with five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi.
In case you didn't know
Digne began his career at Lille alongside Chelsea ace Eden Hazard before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2013. The Frenchman hardly played for the Ligue 1 giants and instead spent a season on loan at Roma.
The defender's brief stint in Italy was followed by a move to Barcelona, where he also struggled to find play time.
The 25-year-old, who initially started out as a striker, has since joined Everton in August last year and has netted four goals and registered five assists for the Merseyside outfit this season.
The heart of the matter
Digne has recalled the lessons he learnt while training with Messi at the Camp Nou, calling the Argentine "the best player in the world".
Speaking to Daily Star, he said, "When you train against the best player in the world you learn a lot because you are playing against the best. You need to move fast, do everything fast and better, you can’t miss something because if you do it’s a goal even if it’s only training."
"It’s really good if you’re a left back or a defender to play against this type of player. He is playing on another planet. He sees everything before everyone else, he does everything fast, every time he makes a good decision, he’s the best."
He added, "He’s a good guy, too. He spoke to me when I arrived at Barcelona, he spoke with a lot of players."
The Everton star also opened up about his goal-scoring exploits this season saying, "Some people would say, ‘I want to stay as a striker and score the goals but it’s OK – I can score as a left back! But I love to defend. My job is defence first, after you can attack. It’s perfect."
What's next?
Everton are set to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League later tonight.
