Barcelona seems headed for another treble, and with that in mind, there are games that will require the team's best form to achieve that goal.
Speaking in an interview with World Soccer, Lionel Messi discussed a variety of topics, which included naming the teams that Los Blaugranas will have to beware about if they want to win the coveted UEFA Champions League title. And no, he didn't name their Round of 16 rivals, Chelsea.
"Right now, Manchester City and PSG are the biggest threats. Manchester City is one of the strongest sides in Europe right now, and the same can be said about the French team. But I wouldn't rule out Real Madrid, given their quality and experience," Messi stated.
Contrary to what many could expect, Messi had positive words for Real Madrid, and maybe due to his desire to beat them, he hints that Los Blancos' slump won't last too long.
"It's temporary. It's not the first time we've seen such a scenario at Real Madrid, and I'm sure that in the end they'll battle for every possible trophy. They have a great team loaded with talented players, they've always found a way to be there," the player added.
Before the interview came to an end, Messi analyzed how Barcelona adapted to Neymar's departure, and how the Brazilian ace's transfer helped Barcelona become a better team.
"His departure forced us to adapt to new tactics. We lost a lot of offensive 'punch', but it forced us to focus on our defense. We have a lot of options in midfield, we're more balanced and that makes us even harder to beat in defense," Messi concluded.
