Former Arsenal full-back Bacary Sagna has called Lionel Messi the biggest “nightmare” of his football career, Afrosport reports.
The retired France international, of Senegalese heritage, played against Messi in the UEFA Champions League while playing for Arsenal and later Manchester City between 2007 and 2017.
Barcelona had most of the edge over the Gunners and Citizens with Messi making a meal of the opposition defence which Sagna was part of.
Speaking an an event in Singapore ahead of Arsenal’s summer tour, the 42-year-old said: “Obviously I would say Lionel Messi because it’s unpredictable. You never know, you can’t read his body language.
“As a defender you have to be able to anticipate and obviously I think you guys can’t witness how good he is how quick is his mind how he can change direction and decision as fast as he’s doing and still compete and be decisive and be accurate.
“So…[even for] goalkeeper is a nightmare.. for any kind of player and especially defenders…is a nightmare and he’s surely one of the biggest strikers that gave me a lot of problems because he is… he’s not human to be honest, he’s different.”
Sagna’s career spanned 17 years, playing for Auxerre, Arsenal, Man City, Benevento and Montreal Impact (now CF Montreal).
He won four titles during the course of his career and earned 65 caps for the France national team.
