"Messi would struggle against Stoke"

According to Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi would find it tough in the Barclays Premier League.

While the Red Devil was impressed with the Argentine's performance in Barcelona's 3-1 win over his side in the UEFA Champions League final, Rooney had reservations about how well the two-time Ballon d'Or winner would do in England.
"Messi is the best player ever," the 25-year-old said to talkSPORT.
"What we've seen over the last two or three years is incredible. It will be difficult to see that again.
"Messi wins Barcelona the games, but Xavi and Iniesta destroy the opposition's legs. You have to work so hard to get near to them and it's harder than in any other game. Then Messi kills you off.
"If you brought Xavi and Iniesta with him [to England], he would [have the same sort of impact as Cristiano Ronaldo did], but the style of football that Barcelona play suits Messi to the ground and it'd be almost impossible to do that within this country."
However, Rooney added: "It's more physical, the Premier League - the likes of going to Stoke or Birmingham away are incredibly difficult games to play. I think if you look at the two players, Ronaldo is suited more for English football than Messi would be.
"[Ronaldo's] physique is good and he's suited to the English game. The English game is more about counterattacking and the Spanish game is about possession."
However, the Argentine has admitted that he would not consider a move to England anyway.
In quotes reported in the Sun, Messi said: "I cannot see myself ever playing in any club shirt apart from Barcelona's.
"I have been lucky enough to win everything with Barcelona and individually. But my goal now is to win the Copa America with Argentina."
Argentine next face Bolivia in a Copa America fixture on Thursday