Barcelona boss Luis Enrique led the tributes to Lionel Messi after watching him tear apart Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp.
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Messi inspired his team’s 3-0 victory by scoring two superb goals in the space of three minutes, then teeing up Neymar for the injury-time third to put one foot in next month’s final in Berlin.
Enrique admitted that his Argentine star was the difference between the teams, as he said: “He surprises you every time. I hope he keeps the same ambition because I never want to stop watching works of art from Leo.”
The Barca boss was also delighted with his team’s overall performance and admitted the outcome could not have been better for his team.
Messi marks Euro ton with two more cracking goals http://t.co/s26gK0ie3C pic.twitter.com/l49FHLbT0R
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 6, 2015
“It was a Champions League semi-final and a very difficult game but, without doubt, it is the perfect result for us,” he said. “It takes us closer to the final and I am very happy with everything we did. I don’t remember them having a shot on goal.”
Opposite number Pep Guardiola admitted his team had been undone by Messi’s magic. He said: “We were beaten by the individual quality of the Barcelona players.”
And although Guardiola acknowledged next week’s return leg in Munich could yet yield a miraculous comeback, he wore the look of a man who knew Bayern’s chances are dead as he added: “I am very proud of my team. We’ve had a hard few months but we have won the league and competed well.”
Meanwhile, Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic added that he regards Messi as “unique” after being granted the perfect view of his team-mate’s second goal.
The Croatian played the pass which released Messi, and then watched him burst into the area and lift a brilliant finish over Manuel Neuer.
He said: “Leo is the difference between a great player and a unique player. There is nobody like him.”
Rakitic also summed up the euphoric mood within the Barca camp as he added: “We did everything our coach asked, we never dropped our rhythm and we are very happy with our work.”
Javier Mascherano didn’t even try to capture his fellow Argentine’s magic, saying: “Messi is a player who is impossible to describe. You can only watch him and admire.”
