The memoirs of former Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek have recently made headlines because he didn’thold back when discussing such luminaries as Raul, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi. The Pole spent six years at Liverpool, andhis notableperformance in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final versusMilan in Istanbul will forever stand out as his most impressive match.
Upon leaving the Reds in 2007, Dudek joined Real Madrid, where he would spend the remaining four years of his career until retiring in 2011. Due to his status as Iker Casillas’ backup, he only made 12 appearances in goal for the club.
During Dudek’s tenure in the Spanish capital, the likes ofXavi, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol,Messi, and Sergio Busquets were at the peak of their powers, leading Barcelona to unprecedented glory.And now the former shot-stopper has made some very outlandish statements about how the Argentinian superstar wasintentionally aggressive and hostile against hisopponents.
WhatJerzy Dudek said about Lionel Messi’s attitude
Jerzy Dudek at Real Madrid. (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
“He [Messi] was very provocative, as were Barcelona and their coach Pep Guardiola.They were always out to annoy you and often succeeded in perfection.
“I have seen and heard Messi say very rude things to [former Real Madrid defenders] Pepe and Sergio Ramos that you can’t even think about. Imagine what can come out of the mouth of a person who seems so calm and nice.”
El Clasico matches have a history of igniting passion due to the heated rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid.In April 2011, long-simmering animosity between the two Spanish powerhouses reached new heights, when Messi’s Barcelona and Ronaldo’s Madrid squared off in a crucial Champions League Quarter-Final.
With La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League all on the line, the teams squared off four times in only 17 days.The Blaugrana grabbed the win in the Spanish leagueand the UCL;the Whites, however, claimedthe Copa del Rey trophy.
