Everything was easier with Lionel Messi at Barcelona – Jordi Alba

• Defender & attacker mixed at Camp Nou
• Opponents struggled to comprise them
• Argentine left for PSG in the summertime of 2021

WHAT HAPPENED? While Alba is a left-again, and Messi spent a lot of his time at Camp Nou working from the appropriate of an attacking trio, two merchandise of the famed La Masia academy system combined for 34 goals throughout 9 memorable years. Messi’s departure for Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in 2021 introduced a productive relationship in Catalunya to a detailed, with Alba conceding that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner stays a giant miss for La Liga heavyweights.

WHAT THEY SAID: Spain worldwide Alba has informed Universo Valdano of working with mercurial Argentine celebrity Messi: “We understood each other perfectly, he put it to me at the right time. It was increasingly difficult because all the opponents already knew us, but he would come in from the second line and sometimes he would find other team-mates who were more unmarked. We made a very good duo. With him, everything was easier. Almost all my assists are to him, I remember that the first one was at El Sadar. In all aspects of the game, he is the best.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi cemented his standing among the many all-time greats when inspiring Argentina to global glory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with Alba delighted to see his former workforce-mate full a glittering medal assortment. He added: “All football fans wanted Leo to win, for all he has suffered, for all he has given to football and because he has always wanted that cup.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

GettyGettyGetty

WHAT NEXT? Barcelona have struggled at occasions with out Messi, with monetary mismanagement doing their collective trigger few favours, however they’re again at the highest of La Liga underneath former membership captain Xavi and are additionally seeking to chase down Copa del Rey and Europa League honours.