Paul Scholes scored many fabulous goals for Manchester United during his illustrious career.

His stunning volleys against Aston Villa and Bradford City, both registered in the Premier League, stand out. But there’s no doubt what his best Champions League goal was.

The English midfielder banged in a stunning 25-yard effort against Barcelona at Old Trafford to send the Red Devils through to the 2007-08 Champions League final.

However, it wasn’t Scholes or any of his teammates who was named Man of the Match by BBC Sport.

Lionel Messi, just 20 at the time, didn’t look remotely overawed playing at the Theatre of Dreams in one of the biggest matches - if not, *the* biggest match of his career to date - and did his utmost to send his side through to the final.

Scholes: Messi should have had a penalty

The Argentine sensation was a constant thorn in United’s side and, by Paul Scholes’ admission seven years later, he should have been awarded a penalty.

“It was a moment I will never forget,” Scholes wrote in the Independent. “He went past me, I stuck out my leg and Lionel Messi went over. This was at Old Trafford in 2008 in the second leg of our Champions League semi-final against Barcelona and, with the score 1-0 to us, I had fouled him in our area.

“When I think about our win over Barcelona in that game, on our way to the second Champions League title of the Sir Alex Ferguson era, I always remember that tackle. Yes, I scored the only goal of the tie, and it was one of my better ones. But I will never forget that couple of seconds when the best footballer in the world deceived me into fouling him and I waited for the world to fall in.

“It should have been a penalty to Barcelona, and an away goal would have won them the tie. But for some reason the referee didn’t give it, the game moved on and even Messi did not make much of a fuss. The relief was overwhelming for a few moments – and then I was back into the game.”

Video: Messi sends Scholes into early retirement

Scholes will also never forget the moment Messi sent him into early retirement during the same match.

The youngster walked up to the United legend and feinted to go left before brilliantly switching the ball to his right foot and bursting into the penalty area.

It was a truly remarkable piece of skill and that no other player - at that speed, anyway - could have pulled off against such a talented opponent.

Almost 10 years later and it still looks awesome.

Watch it here…

Scholes: I tried to avoid Messi during matches

“I am not ashamed to admit that in the games against Barcelona I spent a lot of the time just hoping he would take up positions as far away from me as possible,” Scholes, who faced Messi on four occasions, admitted after his career ended.

“Elusive is the word that immediately springs to mind when I think about Messi’s style of play. You think you have an eye on him and then – blink – he has gone, only to reappear somewhere else in space, with the ball. When you try to face up to him and make a tackle you know what it is he is going to do with the ball. The problem is staying with him.”