Messi: Man-marking doesn't bother me; I get more annoyed when I play bad

Lionel Messi claims he's not bothered by the man-marking he is regularly subjected to while playing for Barcelona and has picked Girona's Pablo Maffeo as one of his toughest opponents.

"Man-marking doesn't bother me - you know that there will be tough matches and it can be strange to always have someone around you," Messi told La Liga on DAZN.

"In truth it hasn't happened to me that often. It doesn't bother me, but it is strange."

Though he's often locked horns with Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos, while Casemiro has also been tasked with dealing with the Barca captain in the past, Messi singled out Spanish right-back Maffeo as a difficult opponent.

"Pablo Maffeo of Girona," Messi said when asked about the most complicated man-marker he has faced. "That was intense!"

Maffeo, 22, is now into his third loan stint with Girona but has previously been on the books of Manchester City and is currently owned by Stuttgart. 

Aside from aggressive man-marking, Messi is also no stranger to being fouled but isn't too concerned about it, particularly if he's still able to play well.

"I've never been one who complains. I think physical contact and kicks are part of the game," he said. 

"I get more annoyed when I play bad and I get a little more angry. But if I'm not [playing bad], it's not a problem, it's part of the game and I don't take it personally."