Back in February, former AC Milan centre-back Alessandro Costacurta recalled the day he faced a young Lionel Messi in a game against Barcelona.

Comparing the Argentine with Diego Maradona, the former Italy international has stressed that the two have various similarities.

“I have been lucky to play against both Messi and Diego,” Costacurta told Sky Italia.

“Maradona could be fouled 66 times before [the opposition player would be] warned.

“With Leo it is different, it is something else now.

“They are similar in genius terms and in the way they express themselves on the pitch, but Messi is cooler than Maradona.

“At the time [I faced him], Messi was 16 years old and at first I took him to be a child and did what I wanted.
“But then, after a quarter of an hour, I asked [Milan coach Carlo] Ancelotti to sub me off.”