Dybala must lift Juventus in Champions League to match Messi - Tardelli

Joe Wright

Dybala must lift Juventus in Champions League to match Messi - Tardelli image

Paulo Dybala must do more in the Champions League if he is to match the level of Lionel Messi, Juventus great Marco Tardelli has said.

The Argentina star has started the season in spectacular fashion, scoring 12 goals in his first eight appearances in all competitions.

Dybala, who has been tipped as a successor to compatriot Messi as his country's best player, scored twice against Barcelona in last season's Champions League quarter-finals but was a disappointment as Juve lost the final 4-1 to Real Madrid.

And Tardelli, who won the European Cup in 1985 to cap a glittering Juve career, says Dybala's performances in Europe remain short of the required standard.

"He's improved a lot but I still expect more from him," the World Cup-winning midfielder told Corriere dello Sport.

"There's no doubt he's a great player but, to be the new Messi, he has to lift the team in the Champions League and not only Serie A."

Juve's final defeat was their second in the last three seasons and they started this term's group stage in disappointing fashion with a 3-0 loss to Barca at Camp Nou.

Tardelli, however, is confident his old club have the strength to mount another challenge, despite their dreadful second-half showing in Catalonia.

"Ever since Inter won in 2010, we've tried, but something has gone wrong," he said. "Juventus and Napoli in particular have the ability to do something major.

"Getting to the final is a prestigious result but you have to win finals to get a place in history.

"I honestly didn't expect Juve to lose to Barca. You can lose to Barcelona but not without a fight, like that second half was."

Joe Wright

Joe Wright Photo

Joe is a Senior Editor at Sporting News. He was previously a sub editor and writer for Goal.com before spending six years as part of the Stats Perform editorial news service, covering major global sports including football, tennis, boxing, NBA, rugby union and athletics. Joe has reported live on some of the biggest games in football, including two UEFA Champions League finals, Euro 2016, the Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 World Cup final at the end of a month in Russia.