Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson has aired his regret at having ruffled the hair of Barcelona star Lionel Messi, “the best player that’s ever played this game”, during Liverpool’s famous Champions League comeback win in May last year.
Emotions were running high on a memorable European night at Anfield, and the Scottish full-back tangled with the Argentine icon early on in the game. As both men ended up on the floor during a challenge, Robertson could not help having a sly pop at Messi while the Barcelona star slowly got back to his feet.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner did not take kindly to the actions of the Liverpool defender and confronted Robertson, but anything goes in the heat of battle especially on an auspicious night at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s side remained fully focused on their task and those efforts eventually delivered a stunning 4-0 win propelling Liverpool into the Champions League final, but the 26-year-old Robertson admitted that he would not repeat his actions if put in a similar situation again.
While speaking to That Peter Crouch Podcast Robertson revealed his regret on shoving Messi last year in the heat of the moment, “Me and Fabinho were tracking him [Messi] back, we both ended up on the ground. I just ruffled his hair a wee bit, he wasn’t too happy but it’s something I wouldn’t do again, that’s for sure. It’s just disrespectful to the best player that’s ever played this game. That game was like, in the changing room, I’ve never seen a changing room like it. We were so pumped up for the game, and unfortunately, it happened too early didn’t it? He was on the ground, I was on the ground. I don’t know what came over me! I do regret it, but it’s something everyone relates to me now, which isn’t the best. If I was thinking it wouldn’t have been done. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
Liverpool went on to win the Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur in June and Robertson was able to lift the first Champions League title of his career.
