Lionel Messi was the Barcelona player who ran the least in their 2-0 win over English giants Arsenal in the Champions League. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner ran lesser than everyone in the squad barring goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
Spanish tabloid Sport compiled a list of who ran how much against the Gunners and the Argentine was surprisingly the one who ran the least of the outfield players. Spanish maestro, Andres Iniesta, chalked up the highest distance covered closely followed by midfield partners Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets.
As Argentine playing and managerial legend, César Luis Menotti, once said: “Messi could be on the pitch talking to his wife and son on his mobile…then suddenly grab the ball and win the match.”
While Messi racked up only 8.4km in the entire match, his partners-in-crime Neymar and Suarez both clocked 10.2km each.
Here's the image Sport put out measuring the distances of all the 11 who started the game.
Even though he ran the least compared to everyone else, Messi was the scorer of both the goals against Arsenal – one at the end of a swift and deadly counter attack and the other from the penalty box putting his side in the lead as they now head into the Camp Nou for the second leg.
Arsenal have had their share of incredible away victories beating the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich but facing this Barcelona side with a front three of Messi, Suarez and Neymar is a whole different ball game.
While Barcelona are leading the Liga ahead of Madrid duo Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Arsenal are currently third in the English Premier League table behind surprise package Leicester City and North London arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspurs – albeit only in goal difference with the latter.
