SPANISH PRESS HAILS ARGENTINE

The Spanish press on Wednesday hailed Argentine star Lionel Messi as a fearless 'Musketeer' the morning after his four-goal heroics catapulted Barcelona into the Champions League semi-finals.

'Europe bows to a supernatural Messi,' headlined the daily La Vanguardia.

Messi 'blew away Arsenal with a four-goal anthology which shot Barca into the semi-finals where they will meet Inter (Milan),' the newspaper continued.

There is now 'just one God,' wrote El Mundo, quoting Messi's Mexican teammate Rafael Marquez who said: 'a player like that arrives every 30 years.'

The daily El Pais compared Messi to a Musketeer trumpeting 'all for Leo and Leo for all.'

For another big Catalan newspaper, El Periodico, Messi has become 'the master of Europe.'

The Catalan daily Sport headlined: 'No longer say football, say Messi' and stressed that this victory 'is one further step towards the final' on May 22 at Real Madrid's Santiago-Bernabeu stadium.

For Madrid's two big sports dailies – As and Marca – Tuesday night's match was a serious warning for Real Madrid who host Barca in La Liga on Saturday.

'Messi scares' and 'sows the seeds of terror before El Classico,' wrote As.

'How can you stop this guy?' asked Marca, quoting Real's Spanish defender Sergio Ramos, who admitted Messi was 'a player to fear.'