OneFootball
Dan Burke·27 March 2018
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Dan Burke·27 March 2018
Paulinho has revealed the unusual tactic used by Lionel Messi to distract him from taking a free-kick when the pair met at international level last year.
A month before Paulinho joined Barcelona, Argentina took on Brazil in a friendly at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Speculation was rife at the time regarding the midfielder’s impending €40m switch from Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande and as he lined up a set-piece, Messi took the opportunity to quiz him about the rumours.
“I was preparing to take a free-kick with Willian and another player I do not remember,” Paulinho told El Periodico.
“Suddenly, I see Messi from behind, who is approaching me little by little and says: ‘Are you going to Barcelona or not?’. He told me right before I was about to take the free-kick.
“What did I tell him? ‘If you want to take me, you can take me. I am going’.
“I was so nervous that I said to Willian, ‘You’re taking the free-kick!’.”
Argentina went on to win the game 1-0 and Messi demonstrated that he’s not just a brilliant footballer, but a pretty good sledger too.