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Jorge Valdano hails "strategist" Lionel Messi

Former Real Madrid boss Jorge Valdarno claims that Barcelona's Lionel Messi can now "play an entire match just walking" due to his understanding of the game.

Former Real Madrid boss Jorge Valdano has claimed that Lionel Messi is now capable of "[playing] an entire match just walking".

The Barcelona forward has netted 27 times in 30 appearances for his Catalan club this season and has once again been at the forefront of their excellent form.

According to Valdano, Messi has improved tactically this term and the "new version" of the attacker is a "better strategist".

"We're seeing a new version of Lionel Messi. He was dizzying, only playing at full speed, but now he understands that different matches have different rhythms," Valdano told Mundo Deportivo. "He can basically play an entire match just walking. There is no better strategist."

Since breaking into the first-team set-up in 2004, Messi has scored 439 goals in 512 appearances for Barcelona.

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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi vies with Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo during the Spanish league Clasico football match on October 26, 2013
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona18122450203038
2Atletico MadridAtletico17115131112038
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao1896327161133
5Mallorca188371821-327
6Villarreal167542827126
7Real Sociedad177461611525
8Osasuna176742225-325
9Real BetisBetis176652021-124
10GironaGirona176472325-222
11Sevilla176471823-522
12Celta Vigo176382528-321
13Rayo Vallecano165561819-120
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16Getafe173771114-316
17AlavesAlaves174491928-916
18Espanyol1642101528-1314
19Real ValladolidValladolid1733111234-2212
20Valencia152491323-1010


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