Speaking to the media after knocking PSG out of the Champions League, Thomas Muller was asked about his stellar record against Leo Messi. The 33-year-old respects the Argentine superstar’s achievements but is honest about the challenges he faces at a club like Paris Saint-Germain.
“Against Messi, we always have good results at every level,” Thomas Muller told Kicker right after the 2-0 win over PSG on the morning of March 9. “At the club level, Cristiano Ronaldo was the big problem for us when he was playing for Real Madrid. But I also have great respect for what Messi did in the World Cup.”
“Messi’s individual performance in the World Cup was very impressive. He carried the whole team. It is not easy to play for a team like PSG, they are too unbalanced.”
In the past, Muller also mocked Barca many times. He often recalled Bayern’s 8-2 win over the Catalan representative in the 2019/20 Champions League. Late last year, Muller also teased former teammate Robert Lewandowski after Bayern beat Barca in the Champions League group stage.
For Messi personally, in the last 4 encounters against Bayern, the 2022 World Cup champion lost. In 9 encounters with Bayern in the Champions League, Messi only won 2 matches (draw 1, lose 6). Ronaldo’s personal confrontation record with Bayern in the Champions League is 5 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses.
The last time Leo beat Bayern was in the semi-final first leg of the Champions League 2014/15 when the Camp Nou team overcame the opponent with a score of 3-0. It was also the last season Messi won the Champions League.