Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
One of Lionel Messi’s former teammates has said the Argentine superstar is “a competitive beast” but also “a joker” in the changing room.
Current Real Valladolid goalkeeper Jordi Masip spoke with local media as his squad prepares to face Athletic Bilbao in the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao in the autonomous community Basque Country located in northeastern Spain this Sunday 20th October.
Masip, 30, is the current starting keeper for Real Valladolid but spent several years at Barcelona, playing for the club’s famed youth academy as a youngster before moving up.
He played for Barcelona B from 2008-2014. He was eventually called up to the first team in 2014 and played for Barcelona as a substitute keeper until 2017 when he was transferred to Valladolid.
When he was asked about the time he shared the locker room with the now six-time Balon d’Or winner Masip assures he is a good guy saying “he was really great with all the guys that came up from the reserves.
“It does not seem like it but he is a joker and makes people laugh in the locker room.”
Spaniard Masip even compared the Argentine superstar with Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique saying “maybe he is not a person that spends all day talking like Pique” but the keeper assures he is “very happy with the way he (Messi) treated me”.
Masip praised Messi’s football skills but more so his competitive nature saying “he is a competitive beast. The best I have seen in my life.
“I have never seen anything like it.”
Masip has played for Valladolid since 2017 making 81 appearances.
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