Kolkata, Sept 1 : “How important is Lionel Messi to your side?” a journalist asked Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella.
The coach twiddled his fingers as he thought of an answer and came up with a response that in a way summed up this whole Argentine trip, which has been marketed around that one player, reports DNA.
“He is more important than me or any other player in the team. Right now, he is more important than any other player in the world for all the things he has done for the game,” Sabella said.
There has been criticism that Messi has not performed as well for Argentina as he has for Barcelona, but Sabella is unfazed.
“He (Messi) is respected by his teammates and I think he has great leadership qualities. Friday's match is going to be my first as Argentina's coach and first for Leo as the captain. It will be a beginning of a new partnership and I hope India proves to be lucky for us,” Sabella said.
Early on Wednesday, Messi landed in Kolkata, ending the nation and the football-crazy city's endless wait for the football superstar.
Despite the difficulty in reaching the airport in the middle of the night, thousands of fans — many clad in Messi's No 10 replicas — thronged outside the airport since late on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of the superstar. But they were disappointed.
Messi was whisked away from the VIP exit and taken to the hotel in Salt Lake City while fans and media persons waited outside the airport's main entrance braving the rain.
By the time word spread that the ace striker had been escorted to the team hotel, Messi must have been well asleep. The fans missed a chance to see Messi whose visit has left India delirious and overjoyed.
Jetlagged after a 24-hour journey, the striker rested for most part of the day before joining his teammates for a practice session in the evening. Friday's match will be an important milestone in Messi's career.He will lead his national team out on the field for the first time. The fact that it will be in Kolkata makes the tie even more special.
