Bayern Munich Star Admits 'Amazing' Manchester City Lack Lionel Messi's 'Wow' Factor

Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara has admitted that Manchester City do not make him think 'wow' - but former teammate Lionel Messi does.

He recently spoke to ESPN and revealed that he thinks City's football is 'awesome', but admitted that it is not the same as watching Lionel Messi play: ''City are playing amazingly, but I don't think 'wow'. [Only] Messi makes me go 'wow.'''

Thiago played with Messi for numerous years at Barcelona before his move to Bayern and insisted that City cannot match the 'wow factor' of Messi on the pitch. 

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The Spanish playmaker has only started 14 games for Bayern this season, having only just returned from a muscle tear that has kept him sidelined since November. 

He returns to Bayern's squad for the crucial stages of the season and believes his side are as good as any left in the Champions League, saying: ''Barcelona, Real Madrid, City. There are many teams you'd want to play against. But no team has impressed me. They are football players, like us. We just have to compete and see who is better at that moment.''

The 26-year-old's Bayern side lead 5-0 in their last 16 tie with Besiktas after the first leg and are all but certain to reach the quarter-finals for the seventh year running.

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The Bundesliga leaders have not won the Champions League since 2013 however, and will be confident that they can reach the final stages of the competition or even win it this year.

After reaching the semi-finals in three of the last four years, this season could be the year that Bayern reclaim the title of European champions.