Angel Di Maria admits he had to stop Lionel Messi at all costs to lead Real Madrid to victory over Barcelona in the 2011 Copa del Rey final.
Benfica’s Argentine forward Angel Di Maria has admitted. The only way Real Madrid can beat arch-rivals Barcelona is to try to kick or stop Lionel Messi. He told Argentine journalist Juan Pablo Varsky of Nacional newspaper on Tuesday. UFABET
Di Maria played for Real Madrid between 2010 and 2014. Where he faced Barcelona in ‘El Clasico’ on several occasions. With the Argentine forward recalling the Copa del Rey final in the 2010-11 season. When Los Blancos were particularly focused on Messi.
‘The only way to beat Barcelona is to kick, score and run more than them. That makes them fight on the pitch. Sometimes I’m afraid they’ll hurt Messi. I’m more worried about what will happen to him.’
‘The game at Mestalla was very difficult. The final was full of kick after kick. At one point I had to kick Leo who was playing a counter-attack. I lifted my leg and said to him: ‘Sorry mate, but if I hadn’t put you down they might have scored. I had no other choice. It was like that. It was impossible to do anything else,’ Di Maria said.
Di Maria was eventually sent off after picking up a yellow card and red card in the 120th minute. As Real Madrid secured a 1-0 win thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo goal.