Messi Admitted Barcelona Stars 'Hated' Premier League Club More Than Real Madrid

• Barcelona and Chelsea had epic Champions League showdowns in the mid-2000s, with intense clashes full of controversy
• It’s no surprise that Lionel Messi once said their rivalry was fiercer than the famous Boca Juniors vs River Plate derby
• From heated matches to controversial red cards, the bad blood between Barcelona and Chelsea ran deep

Lionel Messi once confessed that he and his Barcelona teammates held more animosity toward Chelsea than even their fierce rivals, Real Madrid.

While Chelsea might not seem like a European powerhouse today, during the mid-to-late 2000s, they were a dominant force in the latter stages of the Champions League.

Barcelona frequently found themselves facing Chelsea, clashing eight times in just five years.

These encounters were often heated and filled with controversy, making them unforgettable.

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Ahead of a tense last-16 matchup in 2006, a young 18-year-old Messi opened up about how deeply Barcelona disliked their West London rivals.

"There are players here who hated Chelsea more than Real Madrid," Messi admitted to the News of the World via Sportskeeda.

"I never thought I’d say that. I also never imagined witnessing a rivalry more intense than Boca vs. River Plate or Brazil vs. Argentina, but this is. We'd rather face Arsenal, Manchester United, or anyone else than share the pitch with Chelsea."

Barcelona and Chelsea rivalry

To understand Messi’s strong feelings, it's essential to look back at the history between Barcelona and Chelsea.

Just a year prior, Chelsea had eliminated Barcelona from the Champions League in dramatic fashion, overturning a first-leg deficit at Stamford Bridge, with Ronaldinho scoring a beautiful goal, per Marca.

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The rivalry heated up when José Mourinho accused referee Anders Frisk of colluding with Barcelona’s Frank Rijkaard after Didier Drogba’s red card, sparking a feud.

By 2006, tensions peaked as Chelsea deliberately let their pitch deteriorate to disrupt Barça, but Barcelona won 2-1 despite another controversial red card for Asier del Horno’s tackle on Messi.

Although Barcelona advanced and won the Champions League, Messi missed the rest of the tournament due to injury.

His struggles against Chelsea persisted, going eight matches and 29 shots without scoring before finally breaking through in 2018.

Messi's new celebration

YEN.com.gh has also reported that Messi unveiled a new celebration after scoring against Charlotte FC.

Messi drew inspiration from the Marvel universe. After finding the back of the net, he struck an Iron Man pose, leaving spectators and social media abuzz.

Source: YEN.com.gh