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“Don’t get me wrong, Messi had special moments that nobody else could recreate, but this player is a BEAST in different world better than Messi”- Former Celtic midfielder Scott Brown made a startling admission, revealing how challenging it was to play against one player he considered more clinical than Lionel Messi.
During his 14 years at Celtic, Scott Brown faced some of the world’s best players in European competitions, particularly under the iconic lights of Celtic Park. Lionel Messi visited on several occasions during Brown’s time as captain, but the Argentine wasn’t the toughest player he encountered.
That distinction goes to Andrés Iniesta, whom Brown believes consistently outshone others when Celtic faced Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. Speaking on the Daily Record Hotline Live, Brown discussed the difficulties of playing against Iniesta, especially when the Spaniard was supported by the likes of Sergio Busquets and Xavi.
“I really struggled to understand what Iniesta was doing,” Brown admitted. “Every time he got the ball, he’d just charge at you. His first touch was always forward.”
Brown explained that while most players try to control the ball, Iniesta would immediately take the initiative. “I’d think, ‘He’s small, I can take him,’ but he was so sharp and graceful on the ball,” he added.
Brown also praised Barcelona’s legendary midfield trio: “Their team was unbelievable at that time, with Busquets, Xavi, and Iniesta. And then you had Suarez, Messi – of course, he was special too.”
However, Brown emphasized that, in his view, Iniesta was always the standout: “Every time we played them, I thought Iniesta was better than Messi. Don’t get me wrong, Messi had moments that no one else could match, but Iniesta, along with Busquets and Xavi, made sure the game kept ticking. They were on another level.”
