Jose Mourinho has suggested the only way Liverpool can stop Lionel Messi when they go head to head with Barcelona in the Champions League semi final
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Liverpool booked their place in the last four of the competition after a 6-1 aggregate scoreline against Porto on in the quarterfinal.
They will now come up against five-time Ballon D'or winner Lionel Messi with the Barcelona captain currently in scintillating form.
Barcelona enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win over Mourinho’s former club Manchester United in the last-8 and Lionel Messi was on scoresheet with two goals in four frantic minutes to take his tally in Europe to 10 for the season.
Mourinho is experienced about the damage Messi can inspire, having faced him regularly whilst manager of Real Madrid.
Speaking to Russia Today, the Portuguese gave some words of advice to Liverpool about the Barcelona skipper.
"Messi is having a phenomenal season and now with Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo outside this fight, he knows also that the golden ball is there waiting for him.
"Messi is easy to understand, but it’s not easy to create a cage to control him, because he comes from the right, but then stays in the middle. It’s very difficult.
"When Messi has the ball, one on one, you are dead. That’s why I never liked the individual man-to-man against Messi. Messi is a cage. You have to create a cage."