*Debate continues
Barcelona's Lionel Messi is the best player ever, Bayern coach Pep
Guardiola said on Tuesday after the Spanish side eliminated the
Bavarians 5-3 on aggregate to reach next month's Champions League final.
"He is the best player of all time," Guardiola said. "I compare him with Pele. I am so happy to see this football."
Messi,
who is enjoying a sensational season and has scored 10 goals in
Europe's elite competition alone, destroyed Bayern in Barca's 3-0
first-leg win after scoring twice last week.
The diminutive Argentine was again instrumental as Barcelona eased into the European Cup final for an eighth time.
"He is back, he is there where I had the privilege to train him,"
Guardiola, who twice won the Champions League with the 27-year-old in
his four years at Barca between 2008-2012, told reporters. "He is
definitely back at his best."
Messi, who last made the final under
Guardiola in 2011 when they Barca won it, has also scored 40 goals in
La Liga this season as the Spanish side chase a treble of titles.
Messi's
role on Tuesday was less of an executioner and more of an orchestrator
as he fell deeper allowing Neymar and Luis Suarez to receive his
pin-point passes.
EXTREMELY STRONG
"When
Barca have the ball they are extremely strong. I hope in Berlin they can
win the fifth European Cup," said former Barcelona player Guardiola,
who has failed to reach the final with Bayern in his two seasons in
charge.
"We tried everything. But we had a lot of problems (with
injuries) and when you play with so many problems for two months and the
players keep charging forward then the team deserves a big compliment."
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