The footballing world has seen exactly how good Lionel Messi is time and again during his performances for Barcelona and Argentina but it seems the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is just as good behind closed doors.

Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has happily admitted that Messi has shown him a clean pair of heels on a number of occasions since arriving at the Nou Camp in the summer and he is not the only one to suffer at the hands of the diminutive genius.

Umtiti, who cost almost £25million to sign from Lyon, says Messi is so good when the cameras aren't looking that he and his Barcelona team-mates may as well be replaced by training cones.

Lionel Messi treats Barcelona players like 'cones' because of his famous fleet-footedness

He told France Football: '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. Sometimes he dribbles past everyone as if we were nothing more than cones, including me.'

The fact that arguably the greatest player of all time performs well in training will come as no surprise to those who have enjoyed watching him for the past decade, but it was Umtiti's view on a certain Pep Guardiola that delivered the surprise in this interview.

Samuel Umtiti appears to have an easier task defending against Celtic captain Scott Brown

Guardiola's all-conquering Barcelona side were hailed by some as the greatest ever during a four-year period in which they won nine major honours whilst playing some spectacular possession football.

Umtiti, however, was not impressed with the 'tika-taka' style made famous by the now-Manchester City manager, saying he much prefers the style Luis Enrique has instilled.

'It was less passionate,' the defender claimed.

'I said to my friends, "I adore Barca but when they keep possession for 10 years it's boring". Later their play changed again.'

Samuel Umtiti is one of very few people who considers Pep Guardiola's Barcelona 'boring'