Gennaro Gattuso, the iconic midfielder, etched his name in AC Milan’s history, renowned for his tenacity and relentless style on the pitch. However, there exists a chapter in the former AC Milan legend’s storied career where facing Lionel Messi-led Barcelona became a hallmark moment. As the Italian delved into the match experience, he claimed that a ‘click’ altered his perception of soccer as a game.

In a recent revelation, Gattuso recounted the ‘marathons’ he ran without even touching the ball against the mesmerizing Barcelona style. As Lionel Messi & Co. peaked their quality in that game, it was interesting to hear the comments from a former AC Milan veteran.

An unforgettable clash: Gennaro Gattuso vs Lionel Messi-led Barcelona

In an exclusive conversation with Marca, Gattuso delved into the memory lanes of the 2005-06 Champions League encounter. They held the iconic match between AC Milan and Barcelona at Camp Nou. Moreover, the Catalans, led by a star-studded lineup featuring Xavi, Iniesta, Lionel Messi, and Ronaldinho, left an indelible mark on Gattuso. In fact, the former AC Milan star revealed that Barcelona’s playing style made him understand the game from a different perspective.

“When I was 27 or 28, we started playing games against the Barça of Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldinho, and Messi (It was in the Champions League 05/06 against Rijkaard’s Barça.) Something happened inside me. We ran ninety-five minutes; I did a marathon in every game against them and touched the ball three or four times. We didn’t understand what was happening to us,” confessed Gattuso.

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AC Milan was a highly dominant team in Europe during 2002-07. For Barcelona to have kept Milan scoreless throughout both legs of the semi-final was and still is a massive accomplishment. Lionel Messi and Frank Rijkaard’s Barcelona was the only team in the 2002-07 Rossoneri era who successfully kept Milan scoreless through two legs in the UCL.

Gattuso also expressed his admiration for Lionel Messi a few years ago when his Napoli side went on against Barcelona in the Champions League. The Italian manager expressed his admiration for Messi’s brilliance by saying he could only imagine trying to defend against him. “Messi is incredible; he can do things that you only see on PlayStation. I can mark him only in my dreams,” confessed Gattuso.

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As Gattuso currently charts a new course with Marseille, his recollection of the ‘marathon’ match against Barcelona reveals the enduring legacy of Lionel Messi. It’ll be interesting to see if more soccer personalities come forward to reminisce about the iconic clash.

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