Koke: Stopping Messi almost impossible

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Lionel Messi and Koke fighting for the ball

Atletico Madrid and Spain midfielder Koke admits it is almost impossible to stop Barcelona star, Lionel Messi.

Messi and Argentina visit the Wanda Metropolitano for a friendly match with Spain on Tuesday, with the Barcelona star hoping to be involved after sitting out the 2-0 win over Italy on Friday with a hamstring problem.

Koke has had plenty of experience facing Messi at club level and he concedes there is little an opponent can do to prepare for the challenge the 30-year-old presents.

โ€˜For me, heโ€™s the best in the world,โ€™ he told Marca. โ€˜When youโ€™re on the pitch against him, what youโ€™re thinking is that he doesnโ€™t have his best day.

โ€˜Itโ€™s very difficult [to stop him]. You have to cover a lot of ground, always help in defenceโ€ฆ and hope itโ€™s not his day.

โ€˜You know heโ€™s going to start a move, you see it, you prepare to cover itโ€ฆ and then he does it. Or, heโ€™ll suddenly invent something, because he has a lot of creativity.

โ€˜Why isnโ€™t he just taken out? Because itโ€™s almost impossible.โ€™

Argentina looked out of sorts for long spells against Italy, as Messi watched on from the Etihad Stadium stands, before second-half goals from Ever Banega and Manuel Lanzini sealed the win.

The performance prompted some critics to accuse Jorge Sampaoliโ€™s side of relying too much on their star No. 10, but Koke says such dependence is hardly surprising.

โ€˜Everyone looks for him when it comes to games, either for Barcelona or his national team, because he decides matches with a goal [or] a pass,โ€™ he said. โ€˜When you watch him on TV, it seems like he suddenly changes gear.

โ€˜If you have him on your team, itโ€™s normal that youโ€™d look for him.โ€™

Spain head into the match after impressing in a 1-1 draw with Germany, a performance that further cemented their place as one of the favourites for the World Cup in Russia.

Koke believes they are beginning to win back some fans following disappointing campaigns at the 2014 finals and Euro 2016 in France.

โ€˜Itโ€™s always a point of pride to wear the Spain shirt and to play in your own stadium is amazing,โ€™ he added.

โ€˜The excitement around the national team has been lost a bit and weโ€™re recovering it with the good work weโ€™ve done in the last two years. People have become engaged again.โ€™