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Marco Verratti has labeled Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate Lionel Messi as the best player in history after their team's 1-1 UEFA Champions League draw against SL Benfica on Wednesday (October 5).
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made two brilliant saves within the first 18 minutes of the match to keep the score at 0-0. Just a couple of minutes later, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr. and Messi combined to score PSG's opening goal of the game.
The Brazil international played a straightforward pass to the former Barcelona talisman, who hit an unstoppable curling shot past Odysseas Vlachodimos in the 22nd minute.
Benfica equalized in the 41st minute via an own goal from Danilo Pereira, and the game finished 1-1 after both teams failed to add to their respective tallies.
Messi, however, did everything he could to help his team win the game. The two chances he created in the second half - for Achraf Hakimi in the 61st minute and for Mbappe eight minutes later - were the result of two sublime solo runs.
Speaking after the full-time whistle, Verratti was full of praise for the former Barcelona superstar. He said (h/t Get French Football News):
"It’s incredible what Messi does, you never get used to it. It’s in the simple things that you fall in love with him. For me, who loves football like that, he is an example, he is the best in history."
Messi, at the age of 35, still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Many believed that the Argentina icon was on a decline after an underwhelming debut season in France.
However, it has been a different story under manager Christophe Galtier. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has registered eight goals and eight assists in 13 games across competitions for the defending Ligue 1 champions.
Lionel Messi reaches Champions League milestone in PSG's draw vs Benfica draw
PSG's Lionel Messi became the first player to score against 40 different teams in UEFA Champions League history with his goal against Benfica.
Greek team Panathinaikos were first on Messi's list when he netted a goal in Barca's 5-0 group stage win at Camp Nou on November 2, 2005. Almost 17 years on from that day, Messi scored his 127th goal in the competition against Benfica.
His Champions League record now stands at 127 goals and 42 assists in 159 games. Arsenal have been his favorite opponents, with Messi scoring nine goals and registering two assists against them in six appearances.
Atletico Madrid, Udinese, Rubin Kazan, and Inter Milan are the only four teams that the PSG playmaker has failed to score against in the Champions League.
