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Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber has admitted that coming up against Lionel Messi during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was scary.
Timber locked horns with the Argentine hero during the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Qatar. Messi weaved his magic during the tussle at the Lusail Stadium.
The PSG attacker scored from the spot in a 2-2 regulation time draw before netting from the spot again in a 4-3 shootout win. Timber has shed light on the difficulties in facing the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, telling Ziggo Sport:
“Facing Messi in the World Cup? Messi is scary. He receives a bad pass, so you decide to jump to try to take it away from him, put him under pressure immediately, but he's able to kill a bad pass with one touch. In a split second, the ball is under his foot in his total control. It's unbelievable.”
Lionel Messi also provided an assist for Nahuel Molina during Argentina's triumph over the Netherlands. He had five shots, two on target, and completed two of three dribble attempts.
The Parisians forward was the Man of the Match for his display against the Oranje. He then led La Abiceleste to the FIFA World Cup trophy, the first of his career.
Carlos Tevez launches staunch defence of Lionel Messi amid PSG suspension controversy
Lionel Messi was forced to apologise for making an unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia at the start of the month. The Argentine is an ambassador for the Middle Eastern country and visited it with his family.
However, PSG were outraged that Messi did so without their permission. They slapped a two-week suspension on the World Cup winner, and he missed the side's 3-1 league win over Troyes on May 7.
Messi posted an apology video on Instagram story, apologising to the club and his teammates. However, his former Argentina teammate Carlos Tevez has defended Messi, saying that he thinks an apology should have been sent in the opposite direction, telling TyC Sports:
“I think Messi gives us all a humbling blow. Because if you told me, when I was world champion, that I had to apologise for going on a trip when I had a day off, I'd go back to Rosario and stay there drinking mate. You'd have to apologise to me!"
Tevez continued by claiming that PSG had treated Messi poorly since he arrived at the Parc des Princes. The Argentine joined the Ligue 1 giants in 2021.
"But Messi, the truth is, he puts the club above everything else," said Tevez. "And I think that, in that case, you have to take your hat off to him. Then we can say a lot of things about a club that didn't really look after him. From the first moment he arrived, they didn't look after him. That's how it is.”
Lionel Messi is set to return to action for the Parisians for their Ligue 1 clash with Ajaccio tomorrow (May 12). However, his future seems to lie away from the Parc des Princes, as he has decided to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.
