Messi: dour Gers did not want to play football

LIONEL MESSI has accused Rangers of playing “anti-football” in the goalless Champions League clash at Ibrox and warned they will suffer at the Nou Camp.

Barcelona dominated for large spells in the Group E match but failed to break down a stubborn Rangers defence.

Walter Smith’s men held on for the point which keeps them joint top of the group ahead of the return leg in a fortnight’s time.

Frank Rijkaard opted for a formidable three-pronged attack of Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry, but Barcelona could not find a way past a resolute Rangers side.

While Rangers were thrilled with the draw, Messi was less than impressed by the tactics employed by their hosts.

“It’s incredible,” the 20-year-old Argentina international said. “Rangers didn’t want to play football.

“They practised anti-football from the first minute and it’s a shame we couldn’t take victory because we created a good number of chances. We just didn’t put them away.

“I think when they come to the Nou Camp everything is going to be very different.”

The Barcelona winger added: “We need to find a solution for breaking down a team who close down so much, but I don’t believe we will come across many teams who play this way.”

Meanwhile, Thierry Henry believes the stalemate was not a disastrous result, especially so soon after Barca suffered their first defeat of the season at Villarreal at the weekend.

And the striker — who missed a couple of chances of his own at Ibrox — is also confident of taking maximum points when Barca come up against Rangers at home.

“We had possession and weren’t in any danger but we caused a lot of danger for Rangers,” he said. “At the end of the day we got the point.

“We had a very tough game in the league at Villarreal so to then come here and play away was tough but now we have two games at home and hopefully we can do the job and qualify.”

Meanwhile Allan McGregor insists Rangers will head to the Nou Camp without any fear.

He believes Walter Smith’s men have already proved their steel by handling everything Barcelona threw at them.

“This game was always going to be difficult and it will be twice as hard over there,” admitted McGregor.

“But we have got a lot of confidence from this result and hopefully we can take something in the Nou Camp.”

A win against Lyon in their final home match would be enough to see Rangers safely through to the knockout phase for the second time in three years, regardless of events in Barcelona, and McGregor insists that must now be the aim.

The French champions picked up their first points of the group with a win over Stuttgart and the goalkeeper said: “I would rather it had been a draw but we cannot grumble as we have taken seven points out of nine."