When it comes to center backs, Alessandro Nesta is one of the best. The former Milan and Lazio defender was a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, and he also played in the Euro 2000 finals. During his illustriuos career, he was lucky to play against both of today’s greats – Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. And while he rates both of them highly, Nesta still has mental scars from the Argentinian so he prefers the Barca captain. Sigh of relief for Barcelona fans – Messi agreed a 1+1 dealFormer Milan defender faced Leo Messi four times in one season, even thou he played for the Italian club. In 2011/12, Milan and Barcelona faced each other in the group stage of the Champions League and then again in the quarter-finals. Nesta was then already a 37-years old while Messi was in his prime, but still, the defender was surprised with the outcome after only ten minutes of the game. “In the 10th minute I kicked him and fell to the ground exhausted, seeing stars. Then he held out his hand to help me up. I was on the ground and, when I opened my eyes two seconds later, I saw his face and his hand as he wanted to help me up. That destroyed me mentally. What depressed me was that he had got away 10 times in the first 10 minutes and I was starting to feel 37” Nesta told „Calciatori Brutti“.Nesta – klasa sama w sobie 😎#ACMilan #FCBarcelona #ChampionsLeague #Nesta #Messi pic.twitter.com/8A2Vp3HS5K— ACMilan24.com (@ACMilan24com) March 19, 2019 The Italian also faced Cristiano Ronaldo during his career with AC Milan, and he is more than qualified to judge both players and their game. “I played against both Ronaldo and Messi. Messi is phenomenal, but Ronaldo scores 40 goals a year. They are both strong each in their own way. I prefer not to meet Messi between the two” concluded Nesta. Barcelona legend is in no rush to return home – but it’s seems inevitableThe former Italy international talk about a lot of subjects, and one of them was a difference between modern players and his generation. “Today there are social networks. Before we played at PlayStation, cards, billiards. We talked to each other. We arrived for breakfast, we joked. Today is different. I was stronger than Pirlo on Playstation. We played Pro Evolution. We played Juventus against Juventus. Thuram was a phenomenon, he couldn’t be replaced. Now I don’t play anymore, otherwise I kill myself with my son” admitted Nesta.
