"He f***ed me up" - When Lionel Messi's teammate claimed the Argentine was furious with his comments on the pitch

Leandro Paredes once revealed that Lionel Messi was so furious with a comment the former made that he wanted to kill the AS Roma midfielder. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is not known for his temper but there have been times when even his patience has been tested.

The 37-year-old has shared the pitch with Paredes for La Albiceleste and the duo briefly played together for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as well. However, the incident in question occurred when Lionel Messi was still at Barcelona.

The Catalans locked horns with the Parisians in the Round of 16 of the Champions League in the 2020/21 campaign. In the first leg, the La Liga giants were second best on the night despite the presence of the diminutive Argentinean on the pitch and lost the game 4-1.

At the end of the game, Leandro Paredes - who was part of the PSG team - made a comment to one of his teammates, which apparently infuriated the six-time European Golden Shoe winner. Paredes revealed that he was so scared that he wanted to run home.

Speaking on Caja Negra in 2022, the 30-year-old went on to add that his action ultimately didn't affect his relationship with Lionel Messi.

"He got angry because I had made a comment to my teammates and he heard me, and he got angry. He became really angry. He f***ed me up. It was bad. He wanted to kill me and I wanted to go home," said Paredes.

He continued:

"Afterwards, I saw him in the national team and he acted as if nothing had happened. He showed me what he is like as a person. The relationship continued as it was. Now, when the conversation comes up, we talk about it and laugh, but he was really angry at the time - he wanted to kill me!"

The duo have enjoyed tremendous success with their national side in recent times, winning two Copa America trophies, one Finalissima title and the coveted FIFA World Cup.

Lionel Messi could represent Argentina at 2026 World Cup

Lionel Messi and Leandro Paredes

Lionel Messi was instrumental in Argentina's triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 37-year-old was also key to their 2021 Copa America win but is now in the final phase of his career.

However, he continues to be decisive for Inter Miami in the MLS and has been firmly involved with the national team as well. Lionel Messi was also part of the La Albiceleste side that won the Copa America this year.

With the next World Cup due in just under two years, there has been speculation regarding the Argentinean's involvement. La Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni has already expressed a desire to have his talisman lead the team at the competition in America.