Messi knew it was an accident: Smalling

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Manchester United centre defender clashed with the Barcelona ace during the  first leg of the Champions league quarter finals , but he made peace with his counterpart afterwards.

Chris Smalling  believes that the Blaugrana superstar Lionel Messi knew that the challenge from Smalling was an accident which left him with his broken nose.

In the first half of the first leg of the Champions league quarterfinal the coming together between the two players at Old Trafford saw the little Argentine fall off worse.

There was no part of malignity from the English international against Lionel Messi,that was an merely incident which thing can happen in such competitive games.

About that come together Smalling stated: “We spoke afterwards. We had a brief chat and shook hands.

“He knew it was an accident.”

Further question asked to him about that aerial challenge Smalling said: “I didn’t realise at the time that I’d actually caught him like that.

“[Luis] Suarez [came up to me] after the game as well. We had a good tussle and he just shook my hand afterwards and said ‘good luck’.

“It’s nice when you can have that battle on the pitch and then there’s respect after the game because, ultimately, you are just trying to do your best.”

While earlier of that match Smalling took a challenge against Barcelona to stop them but unable to maintain a clean sheet.

A own goal from Luke Shaw gave the visitors the advantage and now they have mountain to climb in the second leg at Camp Nou to reach to the Semis.

However Manchester United are taking inspiration from their round of 16 game against PSG and they are optimistic to go through for the semis of Champions league.

The United defender added: “We know it can be done.

“If we can carry on from the second-half performance when we were really on the front foot, brought intensity to the game and caused them a few problems, that’s what we need to go there and do.

“We knew that we couldn’t go completely gung-ho in that second half because there is another leg.

“We’ve got to make sure we go there with no regrets and leave everything there to give ourselves the best possible chance.”