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Former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola told Catalunya Radio it had been "a privilege" to witness Lionel Messi's masterclass against Manchester City. Bayern Munich coach Guardiola, who stepped down as Barca boss in 2012, was at the Camp Nou to see his former club win 1-0 against City and progress to the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 aggregate victory. Guardiola, making his first return to the stadium in three years, opted to use his season ticket and sit with family members rather than in the VIP section, and he said on Wednesday night that it is "a great place to watch the game from." Messi, who produced a performance of the highest calibre, provided a fine assist for Ivan Rakitic's goal and might well have added his own name to the scoresheet but for an inspirational performance from City goalkeeper Joe Hart. In quotes translated by AS, he added: "This has been great. Barca played well and created plenty of chances." Guardiola was reported to have made the decision to visit the stadium in preparation for a potential clash with the winning side in the latter stages of the Champions League. Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry said former Barca teammate Messi has an ego but insisted that was central to his brilliance. Messi had been under scrutiny after a period in which he struggled to produce his best form, but Henry said: "I'm sad for him, and upset because people doubt him sometimes. They doubt him. How can you doubt a guy like that? "He put himself on a level where it's impossible for me to hear people doubting this man. What he has done, we should all enjoy the guy, like we did tonight. It is a pleasure. "He has an ego. Of course he has an ego. Do you think you do that without having an ego? It's not a bad thing. Having an ego is not a bad thing. Knowing that you are good. You need that. "Let's all be honest. You need that. He just plays. If you ask him to play with you now just outside the dressing room, he will just want to have fun, perform and be the best out there." Gary Lineker, who played for Barca between 1986 and 1989, said on Twitter that he believed the Argentine had now established himself as the finest player of all time. Lineker added in Marca: "He's just amazing, the best player I've ever seen. What he does out on the pitch and the goals he scores are just incredible. "Leo's form dipped last season with regards to previous campaigns, maybe due to his injuries and problems off the pitch ... but he's back to his best this season, quick, like the old Messi." Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or for the last two years, but Lineker said: "It's a shame that Messi and Cristiano have to play in the same era ... but Messi is better, he's a genius and that's the difference. He also plays more for the team than Cristiano does. "Playing alongside Messi and under Pep Guardiola would have been a dream come true." Messi has been linked with clubs including Chelsea and Manchester City amid reports of off-field problems at Barca, but the former England striker said: "I can't see Messi playing in the Premier League ... although he could play anywhere, because wherever he plays, he's hugely successful."
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