Bayern Munich midfielder Tom Bischof has admitted he would like to face Argentine forward Lionel Messi at some point in his career.
The 21-year-old expressed his desire to play against Messi, one of the most prominent figures in world football. Bischof’s comments centre on the prospect of meeting the Argentina international in a competitive match while representing Bayern Munich.
The midfielder’s wish comes against the backdrop of Bayern’s recent Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain. The two clubs faced each other in the semi-finals of the previous edition of the competition, with Bayern losing the tie 6-5 on aggregate.
That result means the last Bayern-Paris Saint-Germain semi-final was decided by a single goal across the two matches. It remains the relevant recent context for Bischof’s desire to come up against Messi, even though the source does not state that such a fixture has been arranged or that the two players have already met on the pitch.
Bischof has made four appearances for Bayern Munich in the current season, taking all competitions into account. He has scored once during those matches.
Those figures provide the available snapshot of his involvement for Bayern this campaign: four appearances and one goal. The midfielder’s comments about Messi therefore come while he is still establishing himself within the Bayern squad.
The statement does not specify when or where Bischof hopes to face Messi. It also does not indicate whether the potential meeting would take place in the Champions League or another competition. His message is instead framed as a personal ambition to play against the Argentine forward.
For now, the confirmed information is that Bischof wants the opportunity to face Messi, while Bayern Munich’s most recent semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain ended in a 6-5 aggregate defeat. The German club’s midfielder has scored one goal in four appearances across all competitions this season.