Theo Walcott has taken a trip down memory lane and looked back on a memorable tie against Barcelona in the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League in 2010.
The young speedster started the game on the bench, but that didn’t last with Barcelona going 2-0 up, changes were needed. Walcott came off the bench to make an impact on the game, he managed that by grabbing a goal. The game ended 2-2 meaning Barcelona had the better chance of progressing going into the second leg.
“That [home leg] was a great night and a great performance, I also remember something which happened before the return leg in Spain,” Walcott told Arsenal Magazine.
“I was doing the press conference at the Nou Camp the night before the game and I saw Lionel Messi at the top of the stairs. I was chatting to him, then the boss came up to me afterwards and joked, ‘Theo, why didn’t you push him down the stairs?!’
“That has never left me, I thought it was brilliant, really funny from the boss.”
If only Theo had taken the boss’ advice and given Messi that little nudge. In the return leg, the Argentinian produced an absolute masterclass, scoring four goals past then-goalkeeper Manuel Almunia which resulted in Arsenal exiting the competition.
“I think he scored four goals the next day as well. It’s things like that that are great memories, because people don’t see that side of it.”
Despite the result, the England international still regards the home tie a memorable one and appreciates the skill it takes to score a hat-trick like Lionel Messi did in the return leg.
“That home game against Barcelona was definitely something special though.
“I’ve scored quite a lot of hat-tricks too [in my career] and that’s one thing in the game which isn’t easy to do.
“I’m pleased with all of those, including the England one in Croatia.”
