Antonio Conte says ‘super, super, super top player’ Lionel Messi was difference between Barcelona and Chelsea

Messi scored twice as Barca progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League

Antonio Conte embraces Lionel Messi after the match (AFP/Getty Images)

Antonio Conte said the scoreline in Chelsea’s 3-0 Champions League defeat to Barcelona was “unlucky” for his side, and was ultimately only down to the contribution of a “super, super, super top player” who comes along “once every 50 years” in Lionel Messi. The Argentine great scored twice, and set up Ousmane Dembele’s goal, as he brutally punished what were actually rare mistakes from the English champions.

Conte felt Chelsea acquitted themselves well and that their tactics were vindicated, but there was ultimately no legislating for Messi.

“If you watched the game, you can see the final result is unfair,” Conte said. “We conceded a goal... Our start was terrible, to concede a goal after only two minutes. But, after this, we tried to play football for a long time and dominated the game, creating chances to score. Over the two legs, we hit the post four times. This is very strange. I think that a fantastic player moved the final result, moved the qualification. In these two legs, Messi moved the final result. He scored three goals. He made a decisive pass for Dembele to score. It’s a pity. But, at the same time, I must be honest.

“I think when you have the opportunity to make a great compliment to Messi, I think it’s right. It’s right to praise a super, super, super top player. A player who is able to score 60 goals in every season. Not only for one season. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity at the end of the game to give him my compliments because we are talking about an extraordinary player, the best in the world.

“We are talking about an impossible situation. I repeat: we must have great respect for this player because we are talking about a fantastic player. I think he wants to stay in Barcelona until the end of his career. I think it’s the right way for him. He’s writing, with his team-mates, a great story with Barcelona: with [Gerard] Pique, with [Sergio] Busquets, [Andres] Iniesta, [Luis] Suarez. We are talking about top, top players.

“We are talking about a player who can move the final result for every team, for any team he is playing in. I think he started to play with Barcelona and for sure he will finish his career in Barcelona. Many teams can hope to have him in their team, but it won’t be possible. This is a great story for Barcelona and Messi. This type of player, born one player in 50 years. We are talking about one single player with this capacity, with this ability, with these skills. He’s fantastic. For sure we are talking about a player who is able to move the final result for the team for whom he is playing.”

Conte also defended his tactical approach.

“I think, for sure, when I take this decision to play with Eden [Hazard], Willy [Willian] and a striker as a point of reference, you must be very good to have a great balance and not lose the balance. I think, tonight, I saw great commitment from all my players. They wanted to play this game with all our potentiality. I think we were a bit unlucky, if you consider that, over the two legs, we showed we can play in both ways. For sure, the first leg, defensively we were more compact. More compact. If you remember, only after our mistake did they score the goal.

“Tonight they scored three times but I think we didn’t deserve this type of result. We were a bit unlucky because we created many chances to score. I think there was a penalty on [Marcos] Alonso at the start of the second half. If you make it 2-1, you can put a bit of pressure on Barcelona. At the end, I repeat: I must be pleased with the commitment of my players. I saw great work from my players.”