According to reports, Inter Miami star Lionel Messi once confessed that Barcelona players harbored stronger animosity towards a Premier League club than their traditional rivals, Real Madrid. This admission came from the Argentine maestro when he was just 18 years old.
Chelsea vs Barcelona: A chaotic UCL clash

The backdrop to Messi’s revelation lay in the contentious Champions League last-16 encounter between Barcelona and Chelsea in 2005. The clash at Stamford Bridge witnessed a remarkable comeback by the Blues, stirring up intense emotions between the two clubs.
The tension escalated when Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s manager at the time, openly criticized referee Anders Frisk following a controversial red card shown to Didier Drogba in the first leg.
The aftermath of this two-legged showdown left a bitter taste for Barcelona players, fueling their disdain for Chelsea. Ahead of their next encounter in the last-16 stage of the 2006 Champions League, a young Messi didn’t shy away from expressing his feelings towards the London club during an interview with the News of the World.
“There are [Barcelona] players here who hate Chelsea more than Real Madrid,” he said.
“I never thought I would hear myself say that. I also never thought I would see something worse than the Boca and River Plate rivalry or Brazil vs Argentina – but this is.
“We would rather play Arsenal, Manchester United or anyone else than be on the pitch with Chelsea,” as per Sky Sports.
Messi’s stellar performance

Messi later went on to produce another out-of-this-world display for the Catalan side, despite being hacked down by Chelsea defender Asier Del Horno, who was sent off for his brutal tackle on the Argentine.
John Terry’s own goal and a late strike from Samuel Eto’o sealed a first leg advantage before they knocked Jose Mourinho’s side out following a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona went on to lift the Champions League that year after Juliano Belletti scored a late winner in the final at the Stade de France against Arsenal.