Messi already visited Monterrey lands for a match, but in that friendly against Tigres he did not see any minutes
Jose Luis Trejo directed the Tigers in 2006 and headed the coaching staff of the cats in that game that won them the Barcelona at the University Stadium that served as the celebration for the 100th Anniversary of CEMEX (managing company of the university team).
Tigers was beaten by Barcelona by a score of 0-3, with a team that included figures such as Andrés Iniesta, Rafael Márquez and Ronaldinho himself, in addition to a Lionel Messi who was not even 20 years old yet and had debuted with the Blaugranas two years ago.
Jose Luis Trejo He claimed not to remember much about that meeting, except for some brief highlights, such as the fact that “Messi “he stayed on the bench” and did not play that match.
Messi and the day that went unnoticed in Nuevo León ESPN
“Messi He was not yet the figure he is, it seems to me that he came and was on the bench. Barcelona It was a team… that is, it was the Barcelona“.
He added: “Messi It was in its beginnings, just beginning to participate. What’s more, remember that I think Ronaldinho was there; “He was the figure, he was in his moment.”
“Regardless of the fact that the force of MessiIt was him Barcelona And anyway, this team attracts attention anywhere in the world. That’s why the importance of that game, which Frank Rijkaard brought.”
He said that “the board had already arranged that match” when he arrived, “and it was something that was mentioned to me.”
“It was more than anything a friendly match, because all the possible changes were made in the second half.”
In the second part of the friendly match, José Luis Trejo made five modifications, although “it was nothing more than a really friendly game, without great competition,” he established.
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Regarding whether he prepared especially for that match, he explained: “No. I’m telling you that it was a purely friendly game, for CEMEX’s anniversary.”
Jose Luis Trejo He recalled that he greeted Rijkaard before the match “Yes, how everything is done. Didn’t I tell you that it was a friendly match?… I just remember that we started losing with an own goal from one of our players (Sindey Balderas, at minute 6). And with that everything changed, but no way, what do you want? When the imponderables in that type of actions appear.”
In that Tigers There were footballers like Sebastián González ‘Chamagol’, Walter Gaitán and Jaime Lozano.
However, for José Luis Trejo, that squad was far from resembling the one that the San Nicolás de los Garza team boasts now.