Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso has admitted that Lionel Messi was one of the hardest players he has had to defend against whilst also making a Diego Maradona comparison amid new deal murmurs.
Alonso, 31, has his current deal at Stamford Bridge running to the summer of 2023 meaning the Blues hierarchy only have two transfer windows remaining to potentially cash in on the Spaniard if he was to be let go.
Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone are reportedly very keen on signing the former Fiorentina man and it all seemed like this plan was going to be followed if Frank Lampard would have remained the Chelsea manager this season.
However, poor run at the start of 2021 offered Thomas Tuchel the chance to steady what was a turbulent ship at the time and he certainly hasn't looked back since.
Antonio Rudiger and Alonso who were facing peri less situations in early 2021 also haven't looked back since and the 31-year-old's 25 appearances in all competitions this season have come at an important time, especially considering the fact that Ben Chilwell has been missing for many months now.
The expectation around the club and media is the fact that the Antonio Conte signing may be moved on in the near future to make way for fresh blood from the academy to be given a clearer path with the likes of Ian Maatsen, Dujon Sterling and Levi Colwill coupled with Lewis Hall's emergence has set the Blues up well for the future in the left-back role.
However, the player who has given more than six years worth of service to the west Londoners may aim to stay further and become an icon like captain Cesar Azpilicueta but with both touted for moves away, we could be seeing the experienced Spanish duo in the final legs of their successful Blues careers.
"Why not?" he said of signing another contract whilst out in the Middle East for the Club World Cup.
"For me I still have another year-and-a-half on my contract. I’m not thinking further than Saturday at the moment. It’s a question where maybe I don’t know the answer and it doesn’t just depend on what I want. But as I said before, I will always try to give 100% and always focus on the next game. I am very happy here so why not?"
Whilst we wait to see what the club decide, Alonso has been sitting down with the club media in their assumptions video series to answer some of the supporters' questions and Messi' and the late Maradona's names were namechecked by the wing-back.
First off, when contemplating who the best athletes are of all time, Alonso admitted that the now PSG players has to be up there for all the 'suffering' he caused to loads of teams in the world, including Chelsea in past encounters.
"We have suffered Messi a couple of times," he admitted to the Chelsea FC website.
"Another example to be at the top for so long and score so many goals, win so many trophies.
"He's a great athlete and one of the best in the world for sure in my sport [football]."
The late and great Maradona then entered the conversation and Alonso opened up on a bit of a anecdotal story when contemplating where he ranks amongst the greatest of all time (GOAT).
"Maradona- he played with my dad in Barcelona.
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"I remember my dad told me that on his first day, he was amazed to be at the club
"He told me that he came to the changing rooms and asked for a pair of socks. He then started doing kick ups with the socks and everyone was opened mouth and starring at him and that made him a GOAT."
Despite this praise and evaluation of Messi and Maradona in the greatest of all time conversation in all sports, Alonso unsurprisingly decided to go closer to home as he opted for fellow countryman and Tennis great Rafael Nadal as his personal pick in this debate
