And while there may not have been any animosity, Messi most definitely exacted his revenge at Camp Nou six days later.
Just four minutes later, however, Messi must have thought his Christmases had come at once.
He ran to his right and slid a relatively tame shot goal-wards - De Gea was well positioned, and it should have been an easy save.
"The public criticizes the player because they know he has more to give".
Former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho scored a second-half rocket to put the game beyond all doubt, and speaking after the game, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted the difference in quality was there for all to see. One of sheer brilliance and the second with some luck. The important thing is that we achieved our goal.
With that base as impenetrable as it has been for some time, Messi has that platform to take his team to the summit of European football once more. Brazil worldwide Fred has struggled to make an impression in his first season in England after moving from Shakhtar Donetsk for about $70 million despite an improvement in recent weeks, and it may be asking too much for 22-year-old Scott McTominay to be a regular. A player of this ability, of this stature, sometimes you've just got to say he was too good and tonight that was the case. "And he showed why we think that and why he has won so many titles". With his goals, he has now scored 24 times in 32 matches against English clubs.
It was Messi's tenth goal in Europe and 45th in all competitions this season as well as his 597th in a Barcelona shirt.
In Tuesday's other quarter-final second leg, Ajax travel to Juventus with their tie delicately poised after an absorbing 1-1 draw in Amsterdam last week. Donny van de Beek canceled out Ronaldo's opener before Matthijs de Ligt took the victor to let the Dutch visitors advance 3-2 overall. Messi and Coutinho kicking Man Utd out and Cristiano couldn't do it without Real Madrid. "But the memory of what we did in Paris will live with the players because it's not long ago".
But despite some late pressure from United, the La Liga giants comfortably negotiated the final few minutes without fuss as they closed out a 3-0 win on the night to progress to the semi-finals 4-0 on aggregate.
"Messi is fine", said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde. "But we came out cold and looked nervous in the first five minutes".
"Yeah, that is the level we have to aspire to because that's the level we have been", Solskjaer told MUTV.
