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After Barcelona defeated Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League to qualify for the quarterfinals several days ago, it was hard to argue against City goalkeeper Joe Hart as the man of that match. He was absolutely sensational, and his Save Show was the reason why Barça didn't leave Camp Nou with a historical win on the books.
It's hard to have those games where the losing player is the best player on a match. Remember how Tim Howard was the star of United States vs Belgium in the 2014 World Cup, even though the US lost? Joe Hart was the star of Barça vs City. It's that simple.
But Hart doesn't remember that night with the best of feelings. He's still upset because of the loss, but he was full of praises for the guys he stopped, especially Lionel Messi:
"I'm pretty sure that in a few years when Messi gets truly recognized as the best player ever, I'll have good memories about that night. I'm certain that I'll remember that game differently once I retire.
"I don't feel great about that performance now simply because it was a tough night for us, and we lost. But it was a great night for me because I got stops against some of the best players in the world.
"Even though I'm a teammate of Sergio Agüero, Messi is absolutely extraordinary. He's a phenomenal player. Last year he scored against me with the outside of his foot, over my shoulder, when there was just no space to pull that off. He shouldn't have been able to do that, but it just seemed like an easy finish for him. He's phenomenal."
Source: MD
YOUR GODDAMNED RIGHT, HART.
