It has been reported that Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is excited regarding the prospect of coming up against Lionel Messi.
United square off against Barcelona in Santa Clara, California in July as part of their pre-season tour of the USA.
Smalling is eagerly anticipating the contest against the European Champions and has stated that he is eagerly awaiting a duel with superstar Messi.
Speaking to United’s official website, Smalling said: “I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve faced Barcelona before during pre-season [2011 and 2012] and on those occasions the stadiums were amazing.
“It was a packed house for both matches. To have the chance to test yourself against the best will be another good step in our preparation for the new season.
“Messi is a player who wants that space and you need to get tight to him to stop him turning. I think the whole team has to work together, not just the back four. If there’s one person out of sync, he’ll find that vulnerability and space.”