Outspoken Chelsea boss, Jose Mourinho claims Lionel Messi, not Barca's former coach Pep Guardiola, is the reason for Barcelona's astronomical success over the past decade.
Barcelona have won 21 major honours since Messi's debut 10-and-a-half years ago.
During this period, the Argentine has solidified his place in football's hall of fame as one of the greatest players to have ever lived.
Messi was at his blistering best on Wednesday as Luis Enrique's side put one foot in the Champions League final with a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich.
"One thing is a team. Another thing is a team with Messi," said Mourinho. "It is a different story.
"He played a Champions League final with [Frank] Rijkaard. He played a Champions League final with Guardiola. He – normally – is playing a Champions League final with Luis Enrique. And if one day he plays for Anthony (a generic Portuguese name), then Anthony will go to a Champions League final with him.
"So when people analyse teams, you have to remember that this boy makes everything different.”
Messi was earlier linked with a move to Chelsea in January after it surfaced that the four-time World Player of the Year was having trouble getting along with Barca boss Luis Enrique.
And Mourinho reckons if Messi moved to a Premier League team, that team would have as good a chance as any of winning the Europe's top prize.
He further added: "You have doubts that Man City with Messi can win the Champions League? Or Arsenal with Messi can win the Champions League? Or Chelsea with Messi can win the Champions League? Or Man United with Messi can win the Champions League? I think so.
"I’m not saying they will always win. I am saying that a team with that boy is a different team, is a different story.”
Messi joined the Catalans in 2000 as a youngster where he thrived in the club's La Masia youth academy. And Mourinho said his longstanding connection with the club means he is unlikely to ever leave.
“My personal opinion, no chance,” said Mourinho. “Such a big club, such a powerful club, they can’t lose that player, that player belongs to them, belongs to their people. In football you never know, but I don’t believe.”
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