“I fulfilled my dream” - Reported Real Madrid target opens up on meeting Argentina captain Lionel Messi

River Plate youngster Claudio Echeverri recently shared his experience of meeting Argentine captain Lionel Messi. Echeverri is a target for Real Madrid and Manchester City (via Fichajes).

The player is a part of River Plate's youth academy. He looked overjoyed to finally meet his idol. The youngster said (via All About Argentina Twitter):

“The day I was with with the World Champions was something incredible, training with them is unforgettable. I fulfilled my dream to meet Messi, I still can’t believe. He means a lot. He’s an example for everyone and to know how good [a] person he is made me happy.”

Echeverri has made a name for himself in the European market with his performances at the youth levels.

Real Madrid have always been known for their ability to poach the top South American talents. The likes of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes, and more are examples of that. Whether Echeverri becomes part of the ever-growing list in the near future remains to be seen.

Real Madrid are set to play Chelsea next

Real Madrid CF

Real Madrid will take on Chelsea next in a blockbuster UEFA Champions League last-eight clash. Carlo Ancelotti's team lost their most recent game to Villareal by a scoreline of 3-2 in La Liga.

The Italian manager, however, is confident that the defeat to Villareal won't harm his team's confidence for the clash against Chelsea. He told the media following the game (via Los Blancos' official website):

“With regard to the Champions League, this defeat won’t affect our confidence for Wednesday's game, which will be different. I may use the same XI from the Camp Nou. Today, I rotated a lot of players because the match against Barcelona took a lot out of us physically and mentally”.

Chelsea, meanwhile, lost their first game under caretaker manager Frank Lampard. They were defeated 1-0 by the Wolves.