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‘It was crazy playing against Messi’

By Lloyd Webb

Alex Iwobi says playing against Barcelona in the Champions League has been the highlight of his season.

The 19-year-old impressed on his first start in the competition despite Arsenal's 3-1 defeat at the Nou Camp back in March.

Iwobi has since scored against Everton and Watford in the Premier League, and says he benefited from his experience in Barcelona.

“My personal highlight [this season] would definitely be playing against Barcelona, that was the craziest feeling,” he told Arsenal Player. “My first start in the Champions League, and it is against Barcelona at the Nou Camp. It is the highlight of my life, let alone the season.

“To start with, we came out a little bit late so I just saw Neymar and Luis Suarez and Dani Alves was shaking everyone’s hand. Lionel Messi came out last and you see everyone like ‘Messi, Messi, Messi.’ It was crazy, it was crazy playing against them.

"When you are on the pitch you just forget about that and you just do your work. You are just another player, and you have to do your best to beat them and try to win. It is hard for a young star, especially to play in a game against Barcelona. Everyday I train with the them [the first team] and everyday I play with them so it wasn’t really a big deal for me.”

Alex Iwobi

Alex Iwobi

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