Messi praises Barca & reveals his pride at seeing La Masia products impress

Lionel Messi has praised Barcelona, describing Hansi Flick's team as 'spectacular'.

Messi spent the vast majority of his illustrious career at Barcelona as he joined as a teenager and remained at the club until 2021.

The Argentine star scored an incredible 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barcelona and won an array of trophies.

Now at Inter Miami, Messi continues to follow Barcelona's fortunes and he has been vey impressed with Flick's side this season.

Barcelona are currently six points clear at the top of LaLiga, albeit having played a game more than their closest challengers Real Madrid.

They have also fared well in the Champions League and are in sixth place having won three and lost one of their four games so far.

Messi told TV3: 'I'm hugely proud to see how the first team is representing the club right now.

'This Barça side is spectacular, although it doesn't surprise me. It is nothing new, it's always happened, or at least since I arrived at the club as a 13-year-old.

'It's spectacular that the kids have had chances in the last two years and, when you put confidence in them, this is how they respond because they know the club better than anyone.

'They are used to playing this way since they were little. If you give them the opportunity, these things happen, as happened in our era.'

Flick was delighted with Messi's comments about Barcelona. He said: 'It's an honour that the best player from Barça in the [club's] history says this and that he follows how the team is playing and how the young players are playing.'

Barcelona's squad contains a host of players who spent time at La Masia, including Inaki Pena, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Marc Casado, Dani Olmo, Ansu Fati, Pau Victor and Lamine Yamal.

The Catalan club are back in action on Saturday night when they face Celta Vigo away.