Chelsea full-back Jose Bosingwa is adamant that he will not endure a torrid time when he lines-up against Lionel Messi during the Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona.
The Portugal international right-back, who has been asked to fill in for the suspended Ashley Cole on the left, insists he has plenty of experience of playing at the highest level, against the world’s best players.
“I’m prepared for the challenge, It is no problem marking Messi,” Bosingwa is quoted as saying by The Daily Mail.
“Messi is a big star worldwide but it is possible to stop him with patience and calm. You need to keep him under pressure.
“I have experience playing with Porto and Portugal against big players, and now with Chelsea. I do not fear the Argentine.”
The 21-year-old Messi, who has scored 21 goals in 29 Primera Division appearances and netted eight times in nine Champions League games this season, is being described as the best player in the world at the moment by many critics.
While Bosingwa may have been handed the task of marking him at the Nou Camp on Tuesday evening, Blues team-mate Florent Malouda says he will not be alone in trying to limit the forward’s impact on the game.
“Since he has been back from injury, we have been working together a lot in training,” Malouda remarked.
“But not only in training, we have also spoken a lot and I think we will speak a lot more before the game. And not only speaking with Jose, with all the team because it is going to be team work.
“Everybody is focused on Jose because he is supposed to play on Messi’s side but everybody in the team helps everybody so he needs us and we will need him.”
Place your bets now please.
