Völler angry at Messi-mania

BERLIN - Reuters

Bayer Leverkusen sports director Rudi Völler fumes over two of his team’s players, Manuel Friedrich (C) and Michal Kadlec (L), who raced against each other to get a shirt from Barcelona’s superstar forward Messi (R) during the two teams’ game. AP photo

Two Bayer Leverkusen players will have to auction off Barcelona shirts they got from Lionel Messi in a 3-1 Champions League defeat on Feb. 14 after sports director Rudi Völler said they were too enthusiastic in their quest for a souvenir. 

Defender Michal Kadlec, who scored the Germans’ only goal in their round of 16 first leg defeat, had sought the Argentine player’s top at halftime but was beaten to it in the tunnel by fellow defender Manuel Friedrich. 

Kadlec then got Messi’s shirt at the end of the match, much to the irritation of Völler. 

Messi, the world footballer of the year, is having another spectacular season, scoring Barca’s third goal on Feb. 14 to make it 25 goals in his last 24 Champions League matches for the holders. 

“I can guarantee you that these two players will auction off the tops for a good cause,” Völler told Bild newspaper yesterday. 

“What they did was too much of a good thing. I have not yet spoken with them but I will do it,” the 1990 World Cup winner said. 

Leverkusen, who is left far behind the top in Bundesliga, has only slim chances of advancing when it travels to Barcelona for the return leg on March 7.