Messi is 29 years old, not 35. This notion that he cannot play two 90 mins games in 3 days because of his age is nonsense. Now if you say he is not up to match fitness to play two 90 min games in 3 days because he just returned from a 3 week injury, then you might have a better point. But then again, he just scored 5 goals in those 2 matches so the point hardly holds any water.
Also, I still marvel at the fact people cannot differentiate between inefficient performances and bad performances. A player can be inefficient and sloppy in his play and still deliver an effective and good performance.
Case in point is Neymar who has been sloppy and inefficient all throughout this year but he still has been incredibly effective and important for this team.
Lionel Messi hardly ever has bad performances. And when I say this, I do mean hardly ever in all his career for Barcelona. He has matches where he is flawless; matches where he is clinical above all else; and matches where is he more sloppy and less efficient than his usual stellar self, but nonetheless still effective (like today). But he hardly ever has a match where you say, "uff he was useless today"
Just think about that next time the thought crosses your mind about benching him because he isn't torching everyone with 80% dribble and passing efficiency.
And he said to the Mestalla crowd: "Concha de tu madre, hijo de mil putas" trans: "Your mother's cunt, son of a thousand whores"
