“He was able to make us suffer” - Yaya Toure explains how it felt playing against Lionel Messi in Barcelona training

Yaya Toure has given a fascinating insight into the unique challenge of facing Lionel Messi in training sessions during their time together at Barcelona. The Ivorian midfielder, renowned for his strength, technique, and dominance in midfield, expressed awe at Messi’s football prowess.

In a recent interview with Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand, Yaya Toure admitted that he saw greatness in Lionel Messi while training with the Argentine at Barcelona. Toure explained on Rio Ferdinand Presents on YouTube:

“In training, he was able to make us suffer. To get the ball from him, sometimes we had to go and attack him and it was incredible. I remember one time when we were training, it was like a 6v6 on the side of the pitch. The session was about high-pressing on the halfway line of the pitch. He went past me so easily, didn’t even touch the ball, he was just driving it [forward] and passing so easily."

“After that when we got inside the dressing room, we tried to justify why he did it so well by saying he’s too small and that’s why it’s easier for him. He has the agility, but we were tall and we had to go down to try and block him. It was always difficult to play against him.”

Watch here (21:35)

Messi was promoted to Barcelona's senior team from the youth team in 2005 while Toure joined the Catalan club from Monaco in 2007. Throughout their stay together at Barcelona, Lionel Messi and Yaya Toure played 92 matches together and combined for 14 joint-goal participations.

Yaya Toure names players who protected Lionel Messi from opponents at Barcelona

Yaya Toure went on to state a young Lionel Messi was always shielded from opponents by some of the senior players at Barcelona.

Although a child prodigy at La Blaugrana, Messi's height allowed bigger opponents the opportunity to bully him. However, that didn’t happen too often as Toure claimed that the likes of Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o, and Thierry Henry always come to the defense of the diminutive Argentine.

Toure said:

“Because in that period, there was Deco and Ronaldinho there and I see Ronaldinho always was always behind him [Messi], trying to protect him. When an opponent wanted to beat him up, he was always getting in there. Not only Ronaldinho, Eto’o as well. Even Thierry Henry did that for some time. Everyone was protecting him because we knew he was a talented player and knew he would come good for us.

“Sometimes when he was injured, it was difficult for us. We used to give him the ball and it was already job done. We were happy to face opponents who pressed us higher because then we are in a one v one and we straightaway give the ball to Messi wherever he is. But when we played against teams who waited on us and stayed behind, it was a bit more difficult because we had to carry the ball forward to him.”

Yaya Toure has retired from the sport while Lionel Messi currently plies his trade for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS).