Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has opened up on his sporting rivalry with Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who he has faced on a number of high-profile occasions in recent seasons.
Alisson was part of the Roma side who toppled Barcelona in the 2017/18 Champions League, before doing the same with Liverpool the following season. He also came out on top at international level when Argentina beat Brazil at this summer's Copa America.
Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Alisson laughed off suggestions that he was Messi's unlucky charm, insisting that he is simply happy to come out on top against such a good player.
He said:
"Messi is one of the best players in football history, but I don't think only of duels with him. Both Barcelona and Argentina are two very good teams that have high quality players.
"Luckily, in the last three matches I have been able to overcome him, but the credit must go to the whole team: Roma, Liverpool and Brazil."
Liverpool's comeback in last season's Champions League semi-final will forever be remembered as one of the most impressive in the competition's history. After falling to a 3-0 defeat in the first leg, the Reds fought back to win the second leg 4-0 and book their place in the final. Alisson confessed it was one of the greatest moments of his career.
"It was something incredible. After the first game, nobody thought we could get back, but we were very confident. It was one of the games I will never forget," he added.
"It will be another unforgettable moment in my career. In the match in Barcelona we played well and had a lot of chances but lost by three goals. That left us very sad.
"With Liverpool in the first leg we deserved more, and Klopp told us to not slow down and continue imposing our high pace of play so we could achieve our goal."
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Source : 90min
