Conte couldn't miss the chance to pay Messi a compliment

Antonio Conte said he couldn’t miss the opportunity to pay Lionel Messi a compliment after his Chelsea side were beaten by Barcelona, calling the forward a “super, super, super top player.” 

Messi scored twice and created the third for Ousmane Dembele as Barça beat Chelsea 3-0 to reach the last eight of the Champions League thanks to a 4-1 aggregate win. 

Conte was captured by the television cameras after the game chatting to the Argentina international and was asked what he told him. 

“When you have the opportunity to make a great compliment to Messi, it’s right to recognise a super, super, super top player,” he said. 

“This is a player who can score 60 goals. Not only for one season, either. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to give him my compliment. We are talking about an extraordinary player. The best in the world.” 

Asked if he’d like to coach Messi, he added: “Good question. I think Leo wants to stay until the end of his career with Barcelona so we are talking about an impossible situation. 

“We must have a great respect for this player, a fantastic player. I think he want to stay in Barcelona until the end of his career.”

The former Juventus and Italy continued his praise for Messi, who brought up 100 Champions League goals in the game, by dubbing him a once-every-50-years player.  

“I think we are talking about the player that can move the final result for every team,” he said when asked if Chelsea would have won with Messi in blue. 

“I think that he started to play with Barcelona and for sure he will finish his career here. For this reason I think many teams can hope to have him in the team but it won’t be possible. 

“It’s a great story, for Barcelona and for Messi. This type of player is born once in every 50 years.”