How to stop Messi? Force him into traffic

THE last time Lionel Messi stepped out on the Wembley turf, he lit up the stadium with a sensational performance to sink Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final. Tottenham must not let him take a trip down memory lane when he returns tonight but that will be immensely difficult given the injuries to their main midfielders. The key to stopping Messi is to create as much traffic in the middle of the pitch, restrict his space and make life as uncomfortable as possible. When facing him you have to do everything at lightning speed, have quick pushing up to reduce space for Messi. In doing so, they must be careful to stop him making runs in behind, too. Victory is not a foregone conclusion for Barcelona. They are without a win in three, were beaten by La Liga’s bottom club Leganes and needed a late goal on Saturday to rescue a draw against Athletic Bilbao. Harry Kane and Lucas Moura are building a promising partnership and can provide the firepower to hurt Barca. I’m expecting a thriller in which the spoils are shared.

MY PREDICTION: 2-2

feet and show great determination to stop him wriggling into space. Injuries to Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele mean this responsibility is likely to fall on Victor Wanyama and Harry Winks. Between them they have seen just 174 minutes of Premier League football this season and will lack sharpness. It is vital that the backline helps them by