Jose Mourinho uses his appreciation of Lionel Messi to take another swipe at Pep Guardiola

Any Tom, Pep or Harry could win the Champions League with Lionel Messi, according tot he Special One.

Jose Mourinho has been sounding his appreciation for Barcelona phenom Lionel Messi. The Chelsea boss reckons that the Argentine's presence in any team would dramatically change their fortunes on the European stage. He claims that if Messi joined any top four club in England, their chances of winning the champions League would dramatically improve.

"You have doubts that Man City with Messi can win the Champions League? Or Arsenal with Messi can win the Champions League? Or Chelsea with Messi can win the Champions League? Or Man United with Messi can win the Champions League? I think so." "One thing is a team. Another thing is a team with Messi. I’m not saying they will always win. I am saying that a team with that boy is a different team, is a different story.”

After voicing his appreciation of Messi, Mourinho wasted no time in taking a swipe at his old enemy Pep Guardiola. Pep won two Champions League titles at Barcelona with Messi, but Mourinho says that's no big deal. Mourinho claims any ol' eejit could win the competition with a player of Messi's quality.

"He played a Champions League final with [Frank] Rijkaard. He played a Champions League final with Guardiola. He – normally – is playing a Champions League final with Luis Enrique. And if one day he plays for Anthony (a generic Portuguese name), then Anthony will go to a Champions League final with him."

Mourinho also gave his two cents on the rumours that Messi may leave the Nou Camp. The Argetine has been continuously linked with a move to Chelsea, but the Portuguese boss thinks Messi might never leave Barcelona, and that he would remain loyal to the Catalans.

“My personal opinion – no chance to leave.2 “Just a personal opinion. Such a big club, such a powerful club. They can’t lose that player, that player belongs to them, belongs to their people. I don’t believe [he would leave]. In football, you never know, but I don’t believe it.”

Hat-tip to the Guardian