BE OVERJOYED NOT OVERAWED

Poch tells players: Don’t be scared of Messi

MAURICIO POCHETTINO wants his Tottenham stars to stop worrying about facing Lionel Messi and bank tales to tell their grandchildren.

The Spurs boss says he has no special plans for combating the Barcelona superstar, but just wants his men to savour the moment – just as he did lining up alongside Diego Maradona for Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys.

Spurs host Barca tomorrow, with the Spanish champions winless in their last three matches after victories in their opening six games.

All eyes will be on

Messi to lift them out of the mini-slump. The fivetime world player of the year was rested against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday before coming on in the second half to provide the assist for Munir El Haddadi’s late equaliser.

Messi will now be primed and ready to continue Barca’s Champions League charge.

But Pochettino (left) said: “I am not going to try to find a solution. I am going to say to the players, ‘Enjoy playing against Messi.’ Because you are going to have the opportunity to play against one of the best players in history.

“This is the type of player that you are going to remember. For your ego, it’s a thing that you are going to tell your kids and grandkids. Sometimes, my kids say to me, ‘Ah, you played with Maradona’ and they are so proud.

“So enjoy. Enjoy to play against Messi.”