Days after claiming he will knock Vinicius out in boxing match, Pablo Maffeo reacts to Lionel Messi once naming him as ‘toughest defender’ to face

Mallorca right-back Pablo Maffeo, who recently said he will knock Vinicius out in boxing match, has now opened up on an old Lionel Messi compliment. La Pulga made those comments in 2017 following an encounter with his countryman in LaLiga.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was at the peak of his abilities at that time, while Maffeo, 20 at that time, was just starting his career. However, the youngster was tremendous against his countryman on the pitch, prompting Lionel Messi to label him as the 'toughest defender he has faced.'

Reflecting on that match in a conversation with The Athletic, Maffeo insisted that La Pulga's comments feel like a trophy to him.

"It was incredibly special for Leo to say that. To me, it feels like winning a trophy," said Maffeo.

He continued:

"It's the best recognition I could receive from the greatest player in football history. We might have lost that game, but the experience will forever be a defining moment in my career."

Meanwhile, the Mallorca full-back first clashed with Vinicius Jr in the 2021/22 season, when he was sent off for a foul on the Brazilian. While Maffeo has since stated that they have sorted things out, he rekindled the rivalry with a controversial recent comment.

The Argentinean claimed that he would knock Vinicius out in 10 seconds in a boxing match. The two are set to lock heads in the Supercopa de Espana on Thursday, January 9, when Real Madrid take on Mallorca at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

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How many times has Vinicius faced Lionel Messi in his carreer?

Lionel Messi

Vinicius Junior has come up against Lionel Messi 10 times in his career for club and country. Both players have four wins to their name so far.

The two superstars faced eachother for the first time in the Copa del Rey semifinals in the 2018/19 campaign. Barcelona drew the home leg 1-1 against Real Madrid, before winning the way leg 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Vinicius faced Lionel Messi for the next two seasons in LaLiga, before the later departured for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer of 2021. Their next encounter was in the 2021 Copa America final, which Argentina won 1-0.

The Brazilian last faced La Pulga in the Champions League Round of 16 in the 2021/22 campaign, which Real Madrid won 3-2 in aggregate. Interestingly, Messi has never scored against the 24-year-old.