Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde feels football supporters should consider themselves fortunate to have been able to witness Lionel Messi’s extraordinary performances.
READ: Messi makes LaLiga history with Barca’s 6000th goal
The 31-year-old Argentina international, who is likely to be considered one of the greatest players ever when he calls time on his glittering career, struck twice as Barca overcame a stubborn Deportivo Alaves side in a La Liga match at Camp Nou on Saturday.
The opener was an opportunistic effort from a free-kick cleverly rolled under the opposition wall ― Barca’s 6,000th goal in the history of Spain’s top flight.
‘Messi is a genius,’ Valverde told a news conference.
‘We’re lucky to be able to see him every day.
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‘We’re lucky to be involved in football during the era in which he is playing ― we want him to pull a rabbit from the hat every day.
‘There’s still room for Messi to surprise us. He always surprises you ― he never ceases to amaze me, honestly.
‘You have to be ready to expect anything from Messi because he sees what no one else sees.’
? Leo #Messi ??⚽? pic.twitter.com/AKE9p9XvDB
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 18, 2018