Jack Hendry: Club Bruges' Scotland defender relishes facing Messi's PSG

Image source, SNS

Image caption, Scotland international Hendry's former clubs include Dundee and Celtic

Scotland's Jack Hendry is relishing the chance to test himself against Lionel Messi when Club Bruges take on Paris St-Germain.

The defender, 26, made his debut for the Belgian side in Friday's 3-0 win against his former side Oostende.

And he could be up against Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in Wednesday's Champions League Group A opener in Bruges.

"There's no bigger game than playing against Paris St-Germain," Hendry said.

"It's a game that I'm really looking forward to, to test myself against that type of opposition - probably the best front three in the world.

"I feel that I'm ready to play at this level and it's about showing that and doing your talking on the pitch."

Hendry helped Scotland move up to second in their World Cup qualifying group with last week's 1-0 win against Austria, having featured at Euro 2020.

Six-time Ballon d'Or winner and Copa America-winning captain Messi has made just one club appearance since joining PSG from Barcelona.

On Friday, he broke Pele's record as the leading South American men's goalscorer in international matches with a hat-trick in Argentina's World Cup qualifying win against Bolivia.

"It was one of the reasons that I came to Club Bruges, the stature of the football club, but also the fact that they were playing in the Champions League," Hendry told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.

"We've got a really strong squad and we're going to make the most of it."