Oriol Riera speaks about making his debut with Lionel Messi

Oriol Riera speaks about making his debut with Lionel Messi

The pair came on for Barcelona two minutes apart, 13 years ago. They have gone different ways since then...

Osasuna forward Oriol Riera will face his past on Saturday. The player, who came through Barcelona's academy, played a lot of youth football with Lionel Messi, with whom he shared the experience that marked the career of both players and the history of Barcelona.

Two minutes separated the debuts of Riera and Messi. On November 13, 2003, Frank Rijkaard gave them their chances in Oporto. Leo came on i nthe 74th minute, and Oriol in the 76th. Thirteen years later their trajectories are incomparable. The Argentine is the best player in the world, the Vic-born man is one of the hard workers of football.

He spoke to Cadena SER. here are the highlights of his interview.

What do you remember from that day?

We were in the oyuth team after a good season. There had been lots of injuries in the first team and the circumstances allowed us to live the experience with the first team. 

Messi and you shared a path... 

Messi and I were up and down. We trained with Barcelona B in the morning, at the weekend we played for the Juvenil team... later the paths separated.

Do you keep in touch?

For the first few years I was in touch with him, later, after a change of mobile and the distance.... as well as one of us having risen so high... but we always have a chat on the pitch when we meet.

Did you think Leo would make it so far?

Who would have said that Messi would win so many Ballon d'Ors, Champions Leagues, La Ligas... would not have been genuine, would not have been a realist. I knew he would be in the first team for many years, but I would not have said that he would be so great and spectacular.

Would you take a draw on Saturday against Barcelona?

I have played 10 games against Barça and I have had three draws. Now it's time to win!

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