Eagles can’t stop Messi at World Cup, says Diego Simeone

After leading LaLiga giants, Atletico Madrid, to beat Super Eagles’ Team B to win the maiden GOtv Max Cup on Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, coach Diego Simeone declared that it would be difficult for Nigerian players to stop superstar, Lionel Messi and his Argentina squad when hostilities resume at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

In fact, Simeone, whose side won 3-2 in Tuesday’s game at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, said categorically that none of the teams in Group D had the capacity to stop Argentina.

Speaking at a post match conference, Simeone, who led Atletico Madrid to lift the 2018 Europa League trophy last Wednesday said: “Lionel Messi is a special player. He is difficult to stop if he is in good shape. I don’t see your Super Eagles stopping Messi because he wants to win the World Cup before retiring. But good luck to all the teams going to the World Cup.”

Simeone, an accomplished former Argentina midfielder, praised the Super Eagles Team B for their resilient in Tuesday’s match saying: “I am really surprised by the way they played given the fact that this is not the main Nigerian team. Your team is good, very strong. They made the game difficult for us. Good luck to them.”

It would be recalled that Simeone was a member of the Argentina team that lost to Nigeria’s Dream Team in the final of football event at Atlanta ‘96 Olympics Games.