Messi cannot be stopped by a single defender - Nadal
Former Barcelona defender Miguel Angel Nadal says no single player is capable of shutting down Lionel Messi in one-one-one situations alone.
The Catalan's talisman was in imperious form last term as Barcelona clinched the treble, and will be in action once more at the weekend against River Plate in the Club World Cup final in which Luis Enrique's men will look to clinch their fifth title of 2015.
And Nadal, who is a veteran of Barcelona's 1992 'Dream Team' and the side that lost the Intercontinental Cup to Sao Paulo, thinks the unpredictability a fit-again Messi will give to his side will see enjoy the edge in Sunday's clash.
"He has something special, he is unpredictable," Nadal told Goal.
READ MORE | Barcelona optimistic about Messi recovery"A defender never knows when to go for the ball. It is impossible to stop him one-on-one.
"When you take two steps, he does four steps, and that makes him even more unpredictable. Defenders need help from other defenders, while others must help cover him.
"There's no single defender able to stop him. Barcelona are the favourites, I predict a 2-0 win. But if Messi and Neymar are on the pitch, I'll add two more goals. 4-0."
Turning his attention to the Barcelona defence, Nadal praised centre-back duo Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano, but warns that the club cannot go along without seeking adequete replacements for the future.
A number of lapses in La Liga have recently cost the Spanish champions points and allowed Atletico Madrid to pull level at the top, and Nadal is urging the side to avoid complacency, adding: "Even the favourites can't win without concentration and running.
"I think Pique and Mascherano have lots of years left at the highest level, but it is very important to bring in good new defenders able to compete with them for a starting place and keep the level high."
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