- Could Messi do it against Stoke?
- Former Stoke midfielder Delap gives verdict
- One question left on Messi's CV
WHAT HAPPENED? The ex-midfielder was asked the age-old question of whether Messi could really perform on a wet and windy Tuesday night in Stoke. First coined by Richard Keys in the 2000s and at first used against Messi's greatness, it's now morphed into a bit of a running gag when discussing the Argentine.
WHAT THEY SAID: Asked if Messi would have struggled against his side, Delap told Sportbible: “I don't think so, I don't think so. No, I think the thing you saw with the top players, we made it hard for teams but we never got a result. You're talking about Messi and players like that, I think they're just elite. They're another level. It doesn't matter where they go, they will perform.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Even if he never had the fortune of playing at the Bet365 Stadium, Messi would've no doubt performed, as Delap stated. Opposition, weather and the day of the week doesn't come into the equation when discussing the greatest players.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI? Having completed football at the end of last year by winning the World Cup in Qatar, Messi will sleep that little bit easier knowing he could've survived a cold and wet windy Tuesday night in Stoke. Messi is soon set to play in MLS, joining Inter Miami.
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