There can’t be too many players who have turned out for this season’s English and Spanish champions-elect, but Gary Lineker is one of them.
The former England striker took the field more than 100 times for Barcelona after beginning his career with hometown club Leicester City, and has told JOE he would love to see his former clubs go toe-to-toe in next season’s Champions League.
With the Foxes 15 points clear of fourth-placed Manchester City, a Champions League group stage berth seems inevitable even if Claudio Ranieri’s men don’t manage to win the Premier League title, and Lineker is very much looking forward to the prospect of a meeting with the Catalan giants.
“Can you imagine Leicester v Barcelona? We might get smashed but it would be wonderful,” he says.
“It would be nice to see some of the world’s best players play in Leicester. They’re a wonderful side, Barcelona, and could conceivably go on to prove to be best side in the history of club football.”
Lineker is the first to admit that the Barça of the late 1980s were not a patch on the current crop – the club failed to win the league during his three seasons in Spain – but he believes Luis Enrique’s team have already surpassed the all-conquering Pep Guardiola squad of the last decade.
The club won an historic treble last season, the first with their former midfielder at the helm, and the free-scoring trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar have helped the Blaugrana notch a remarkable 132 goals in all competitions…and the season isn’t done yet.
And Lineker believes the MSN partnership has given the club an even higher ceiling than the team which lifted the Champions League trophy in 2009 and 2011.
“Guardiola’s side were brilliant as well, and you’ve got to give him extra credit because it’s kind of his creation, the way they play, but they’re now a different team,” he explains.
“They’ve evolved, and they’re playing different kind of way, and I just think individually they’re probably marginally better than they were under Guardiola. Particularly with the players who play up with Messi.”
He remains glowing in his praise of Messi, suggesting: “I can’t see us ever seeing the like of him ever again.
“He’s on a different planet,” Lineker adds.
“I look at him and I just cannot work out how he does some of the stuff he does, and he does it all the time. Even when he has a bad game he’s still the best player on the pitch – he’s just unbelievable.”
With seven games remaining in the Spanish league season, Barcelona aren’t quite out of sight just yet.
A six-point lead is undoubtedly healthy, but things would be looking even more rosy had Saturday’s Clásico turned out differently.
Real Madrid came from behind at Camp Nou despite ending the game with 10 men, with many naming Lineker’s fellow Brit Gareth Bale as their man of the match.
The Welshman was contentiously robbed of a goal, but was still pivotal in helping maintain Los Merengues‘ slim title hopes, just weeks after breaking a record previously held by Lineker for the most goals scored by a British player in Spain’s top flight.
And the former Tottenham man will look to get back amongst the goals when Zinedine Zidane’s team travel to Wolfsburg for their Champions League quarter-final clash on Wednesday.
“I didn’t realise I had that record, but I’m really chuffed…because it gives me a bit of publicity and reminds people I used to play the game,” Lineker says, cracking a smile.
“It’s like when Rooney broke my record, people were saying “oh, you used to play football, did you?!”Â
“Everyone there is a bit in the shadow of Ronaldo, which is understandable. But of all the players there, if he does stay there he could be the one to emerge as their leader, almost, once Ronaldo’s powers wane.
“Really his best position is probably where Ronaldo plays, so he’s never really been able to play in his best position. So, considering that, he deserves more credit than he’s had.”
In addition to his Champions League presenting duties this season, Lineker has joined Walkers in bringing the competition’s anthem to the streets as part of the ‘Choir of Champions’.
A full choir has been out in force performing one of football’s most iconic tunes, with Lineker joining the performers for a very different rendition in London.
“I’m not the best of singers, but hopefully I did the anthem, and the choir, some justice,” he admits.
He needs to get the practice in for when he’s cheering on Leicester in the competition next season.
Gary Lineker was part of the Walkers Choir of Champions, helping Europe to get #GameReady for the UEFA Champions League.
