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Gary Neville: 'Lionel Messi redefines greatness'

Neville: 'Messi redefines greatness'
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Gary Neville feels that Lionel Messi has redefined greatness for Barcelona following his substitute appearance in the Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Gary Neville feels that Lionel Messi redefined greatness after his substitute appearance led to Barcelona overcoming Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Liga leaders were trailing 3-2 on aggregate and 1-0 on the night at Camp Nou before Messi's introduction from the bench after 65 minutes led to him claiming an assist for Pedro to take Tito Vilanova's side through to the semi-finals.

Messi was named as a substitute due to an injury he sustained in the first leg at Parc des Princes and Neville thinks that the player's impact puts the four-time Ballon d'Or winner beyond compare in world football.

"For me, greatness was redefined on Wednesday night. I would say a player who can change an entire stadium and turn a match around simply by walking on to a pitch redefines greatness," Neville wrote in his column in the Mail on Sunday.

"You put Messi into that team and you're transforming a very good team into the greatest team of all time.

"It was felt as though something spiritual had happened. You really had to be in that stadium on Wednesday night to appreciate the magnitude of Lionel Messi and the impact he can have."

Barca meet newly crowned Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the semis of the competition with the other tie pitting Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund.

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Barcelona's Pedro celebrates after scoring the equaliser against Paris Saint-Germain on April 10, 2013
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona13110240122833
2Real Madrid1283125111427
3Atletico MadridAtletico137511971226
4Villarreal127322319424
5Osasuna136341720-321
6Athletic Bilbao135531913620
7Real BetisBetis135531412220
8Real Sociedad135351110118
9Mallorca135351010018
10GironaGirona135351617-118
11Celta Vigo135262022-217
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15AlavesAlaves134181422-813
16Las PalmasLas Palmas133371622-612
17Getafe13175811-310
18Espanyol123181122-1110
19Real ValladolidValladolid132381025-159
20Valencia11146817-97


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