Football
Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent 7y

Gustavo Poyet 'honoured' to lose against Barcelona's Lionel Messi

Former Real Betis coach Gustavo Poyet says coaching a side against Lionel Messi is an honour which no one can take away from him.

Messi scored two goals and created another as Barcelona beat Real Betis 6-2 at Camp Nou on the opening day of the La Liga season.

It was Poyet's first game in charge of the Seville-based side and while his team were comfortably beaten, he has fond memories of witnessing Messi up close.

"I maintain the memory of that game, the first in La Liga this season," the now Shanghai Shenhua manager told Diario Sport.

"We made them uncomfortable at 1-1... Until [Messi] decided that it was over. He took the ball on the wing -- in front of me -- and when he started, I understood.

"I don't know how this will sound, but to have had Messi one metre away, to have suffered and enjoyed him so close, it's an honour which no one will take away from me.

"It's one thing [to see him] on television, but this is another thing, the closeness with which I experienced him."

Messi is into the final 18 months of his contract with Barcelona and there have recently been doubts about whether he will sign a new deal, with Manchester City lurking in the case that he decides to leave.

However, his father has reportedly said there's no chance of him departing Barca and Catalan newspaper Sport says a contract offer will arrive before the end of the month. 

And Poyet, a native of Uruguay, who has also coached Brighton & Hove Albion, Sunderland and AEK Athens, says it's difficult to picture the Blaugrana without their Argentine star.

"I can't imagine any other scenario," he said when asked if he thought Messi would commit to a new contract. "You wouldn't understand Barcelona without Messi.

"It's Leo's decision, so unless he wants to try something new I don't think there will be any problems with his renewal.

"Right now I don't see him anywhere but Barcelona. In the future I don't know, but not now."

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