Barcelona need 'god-like Messi' to progress in Champions League, says Franz Beckenbauer

New Delhi: Ahead of the high-octane UEFA Champions League semi-final clash between Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Franz Beckenbauer fired first salvo saying “god-like Messi” will need to perform if the Catalans are to progress in the final.

Talking to a UK-based TV channel, the honorary president of the Bavarians hailed Lionel Messi saying, “Messi is a divine player, he is god-like.” However with that admission came a fair warning. 'The Kaiser’ said that Barcelona's hopes are dependant on the Argentine.

Barcelona will host Bayern Munich at Camp Nou on the first leg of semi-final on May 7, post which the two heavyweights will meet at the Allianz Arena on May 13 on the return leg. The winner of the tie will play the either defending champions Real Madrid or Italian champions Juventus, from the other semi-final.

The Germans, under Pep Guardiola, will start as clear favourites having beaten Barca in their last two meetings. Barca suffered humiliating 4-0 (at Allianz Arena) and 3-0 (at Camp Nou) defeats against Bayern for a 7-0 aggregate drubbing in the 2012-13 semi-final of the world's biggest club competition.

Also considering Guardiola's inside knowledge about Barca, a club which he managed for more than four years and helped reach the pinnacle of success, it will be tough for Luis Enrique's side to play their usual free-flowing game and perform as a better team.

Probably, that's where the prominence of Messi comes in.

And the Bayern legend has rightly pointed out that Barcelona will need the four-time Ballon d'Or winner to be in his elements against a line-up which has the likes of Xabi Alonso, Franck Ribery, Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben, Mario Gotze, David Alaba, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller.