Messi treats Barca team-mates 'nothing more than cones': Samuel Umtiti

Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has revealed that he feels like an inanimate object when forced to play against star striker Lionel Messi during the training sessions.

Asserting that the star player's talent is not normal, Umtiti said Messi treats his team-mates like "nothing more than cones" during practice.

"Sometimes he dribbles past everyone as if we were nothing more than cones, including me," goal.com quoted the 23-year-old as saying.

Umtiti, who joined Camp Nou from Lyon in June, insisted the one thing which impressed him the most at his new club was the supreme skill that Messi possesses.

"He has so much ease on the ball. His talent is innate although he works a lot. In training he does things that are out of the norm," he said.

Umtiti also expressed his views on current manager Luis Enrique, saying the attacking style under the latter is much more exciting than it was under Pep Guardiola.

"It was less passionate.I adore Barca but when they keep possession for 10 years it's boring'. Later their play changed again," he said.

Barcelona are currently leading the Group B of the Champions League. They will next lock horns with Monchengladbach on December 7.