Ahead of their Copa del Rey match with Barcelona, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296.
Iker Casillas is wary of the threat posed by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604’s hit-man, Lionel Messi, stating that the player has an exceptional ability to score goals. However, the Spanish captain is ready to take up the challenge of facing his biggest nemesis.
The Real Madrid academy graduate accepted Messi’s extraordinary ability to score goals. Nevertheless, the 30-year old is eagerly anticipating the Copa del Rey fixture against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“Facing a player like Lionel Messi makes a goalkeeper uneasy because he is very talented,” Casillas stated.
Casillas opined that despite the number of goals he has conceded from the boots of Messi, he has a good record of keeping him shut on most occasions.
"He does not always score goals, I've stopped some," the Real Madrid goalkeeper mused.
The Barcelona player has scored prolifically in the 2011/12 season and Casillas’ main challenge of the first leg tie will be to stop the 'Flea'.
Messi’s numbers in El Clasico’s are scaring. The Albiceleste attacker has played and impressed against Madrid during La Liga, UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
He played his first match against Los Blancos in 2005; however, it was not until the 2006/2007 season when he displayed his true skills against Iker Casillas. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Leo-c22011 Messi scored all three goals for his team in the 3-3 draw against Real Madrid that day.
As the campaigns have went by, Messi has improved as a player. The arrival of Pep Guardiola at the helm of Barcelona in the 2008/09 season really marked the rise of the pint sized player.
In the most recent El Clasico played in La Liga, Messi was a central figure as Barcelona came from a goal down to win the tie.
Messi has been sensational against Real Madrid over the years, and only the 2011 Copa del Rey final saw the diminutive forward being shackled. Casillas was phenomenal as he kept the Argentine attacker at bay.
However, the Mestalla was a lucky charm for Casillas and his Los Blancos teammates, as Messi fired three shots on goal and they all ended up in the hands of the Spanish goal stopper.
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