Pep Guardiola believes part of the difficulty in halting Lionel Messi is that not even he knows what he is going to do next.
The Manchester City manager has the task of formulating a game plan to stop Messi on Wednesday as his side host Paris Saint-Germain, looking for the point that would book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League for a ninth consecutive season.
But he benefited from Messi’s unpredictability during a four-year spell in charge at the Nou Camp when the Argentinian scored 211 goals and Barcelona won the Champions League twice.
“It’s so difficult. Sometimes when he has the ball he doesn’t know what he’s going to do.” Guardiola said. “There are players who you can say if they will go right or left. When he has the ball, not even he knows exactly what he is going to do.”
Messi scored his first goal for PSG when they beat City 2-0 in September and Guardiola believes the 2020 Champions League finalists can field three more of the game’s outstanding attackers, adding: “Neymar, [Kylian] Mbappe, [Angel] Di Maria: every player could be the star in any team around the world and all four are in the same team.”
City are without Kevin de Bruyne, who has tested positive for coronavirus, but Jack Grealish is back in contention while Sergio Ramos is fit to make his belated PSG debut.
For Guardiola, it is a rematch with Mauricio Pochettino, who he beat in last season’s Champions League semi-finals. The former Tottenham manager is the favourite for the Manchester United job but his only silverware as a coach is the Coupe de France.
But Guardiola insisted: “You can be a top manager without titles, of course. The managers who have the chance to win titles are at top, top clubs with good investments and exceptional players. Otherwise, it is impossible to win. That doesn’t mean the managers outside the top cannot be excellent managers in tactics, and communication, leading the team, as human beings.”
PSG 2 Manchester City 0: player ratings
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PSG RATINGS: Gianluigi Donnarumma 9 – Always quick off his line to clear danger. He made two good stops in the first half; first to deny Cancelo from the edge of the box, and again to stop Dias heading home at the back post. Made another vital stop with his feet in the second half to deny De Bruyne, and then again from Mahrez, twice. Getty Images -
Achraf Hakimi 8 – Did well to marshall Grealish and made a key header at the back post to deny the former Villa man from getting on the end of a set piece. Grealish was substituted, which tells you all need to know about who won this particular battle. EPA -
Marquinhos 8 – Went about his business quietly and efficiently and made more clearances than any other player in the first half. Looked strong in the air, and was a key player for the home side in Europe once again. Getty Images -
Presnel Kimpembe 7 – Was lucky not to concede a penalty in the first half when it looked as though he brought down Ruben Dias, but his defending was superb at times. Getty Images -
Nuno Mendes 6 – Struggled to contain Riyad Mahrez on occasion but improved in the second half. Looked impressive going forward. Getty Images -
Idrissa Gueye 7 – Superb. Was first to react when Neymar missed with a wild swing and thundered the ball into the top corner to give PSG the lead. It was his first goal in his 24th European tie. Disciplined performance in the heart of the midfield. Reuters -
Marco Verratti 8 – Showed some quick feet in tight areas to get himself out of trouble and showed his experience throughout. Worked tirelessly until he was substituted. EPA -
Ander Herrera 6 – Came close to scoring when Mbappe broke clear and pulled the ball back to him, but Ederson pushed his shot over the bar. Was stretched throughout but grafted well alongside Verratti. EPA -
Lionel Messi 8 – The home supporters made huge cries of anticipation every time he touched the ball. Dropped deep to collect the ball and worked it well from side to side. Scored his 27th goal against an English club in European competition when, after playing a one-two with Mbappe, he curled the ball into Ederson’s top corner. Classic Messi finish. Getty Images -
Kylian Mbappe 9 – Influential throughout. In the first goal, after having reached the byline, he cut the ball back for Neymar, for Gueye to score. The Frenchman was a constant menace, swapping wings and at the centre of everything PSG offered going forward. Played a one-two with Messi for the second. Getty Images -
Neymar 6 – Was perhaps the quieter of PSG’s attacking three but he had a glorious opportunity to double the advantage, but he could only fire wide when through on goal. Getty Images -
SUB: Georginio Wijnaldum (Verratti, 78) N/A – A like-for-like replacement and fresh legs when PSG needed them most, just after Verratti, back from injury, was carded. Getty -
SUB: Danilo (Gueye, 89) N/A – A late addition as Barca looked to close out the game. EPA -
MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson 5 – Could do absolutely nothing to stop Gueye’s thunderbolt, or Messi’s curler, but he was on hand to palm over from Herrera. AFP -
Kyle Walker 7 – Couldn’t get more than a toe onto Mbappe’s cross to thwart the opening goal, but he then made a vital interception to deny Neymar from Messi’s needle-threaded through ball. Made another timely intervention when Neymar was clean through, doing just enough to put off the Brazilian. Getty Images -
Ruben Dias 7 – Came close to levelling when, after evading his marker, he headed towards goal at the back post. His effort was saved by Donnarumma. Getty Images -
Aymeric Laporte 6 – Was guilty of not closing down Mbappe on the right touchline when the Frenchman crossed for the opening goal. Getty Images -
Joao Cancelo 8 – Fed a teasing ball into the area that was cleared before it reached Bernardo Silva. Picked up a yellow card for scything down Mbappe. He came close with a shot from the edge of the area, but it was well saved by Donnarumma. EPA -
Bernardo Silva 6 – Should have done better when he reacted first to Sterling hitting the bar, but he somehow contrived to hit the bar again from close range with the goal seemingly gaping. EPA -
Rodri 7 – The Spaniard made a key interception to deny Messi when the Argentine threatened to weave his way into the City area. EPA -
Kevin de Bruyne 8 – Played an absolutely delicious ball with the outside of his boot that Sterling headed onto the bar. Came close to scoring himself when linking well with Mahrez, his run into the channel ending with a shot saved by Donnarumma. A constant source of teasing balls into dangerous areas, and needed a no.9 to get on the end of them. Getty Images) -
Riyad Mahrez 8 – Looked a menace on the right hand side. Seemed reluctant to cut in on his left foot and so continually attacked the byline. Made some nice passes into the channels, one of which fashioned a shooting chance for De Bruyne. Came close with two efforts that forced Donnarumma into saves low to his right. Getty Images -
Jack Grealish 5 – A frustrating evening for the England international. He was given little room to manoeuvre by Hakimi, nor little protection from the referee. Was hooked with 23 minutes left on the clock. EPA -
Raheem Sterling 7 – Was unlucky to hit the woodwork with a header and then again when he had the ball fired into his feet when unmarked in the area, but he couldn’t control it. Got the better of Kimpembe early in the second half but his shot couldn’t match his run. Getty Images -
SUB: Phil Foden (Grealish, 69) 5 – His first contribution was a stunning flick on the edge of his area to clear the ball. Getty Images -
SUB: Gabriel Jesus (Sterling, 78) N/A – His introduction seemed too little too late, with City having needed an out and out goalscorer to get on the end of De Bruyne’s balls throughout. EPA
Guardiola argued his own success owes much to his former Barcelona teammate, and City director of football, Txiki Begiristain, who has persuaded him to remain at the Etihad Stadium and who he feels is the club’s unsung hero.
“One of the reasons why I extended my contract two times is because Txiki is here,” he said. “We met each other when I was 19. Since then, we have been close friends and we work together incredibly well and when we are winning we try to analyse why and when we are losing we try to analyse why and no one judges the other one, good or bad.
“He's the most humble person I have ever met. He is always behind the scenes and you don't find these type of people in this world because their egos are also so, so high- and I put myself as an example. He’s exceptional.
“It is a joy to work here with people like Txiki. He is an exception, with what he has done in Barcelona, creating one of the best teams of all time and now what he has done now. Man City is incredibly lucky to have this person.”
