Messi: Avoid Mascherano on his 'crazy days'

Lionel Messi says it's not worth talking to Barcelona colleague Javier Mascherano when he's in a mood.

The Argentinians have been long-running teammates for both club and country, winning twelve cups together since Mascherano joined from Liverpool in 2010.

With long bus rides across Spain and huge air miles clocked up on foreign adventures, it's no surprise the two have gotten to know each other very well, as Messi demonstrates in the preface to Mascherano's book "The 15 Steps of Leadership" (co-authored with Nicolas Miguelez).

"He has his days. Sometimes he comes in wanting to talk and make jokes, but he also has crazy days," Messi wrote, according to FOX Soccer.

"When that's the case it's better not to talk to him. We see him there and no one dares to say anything."

As Messi continues to recover from a knee injury, Mascherano took over the captain's armband in the 2-0 home loss to Ecuador on Thursday. The No. 10 admitted that he often leans on the defensive midfielder for guidance.

"Masche knows how to handle each situation. He is a very positive leader," he wrote.

"At the World Cup in Brazil I had the armband, but he was by my side the whole time, fixing each error."

Mascherano is expected to skipper the side again as Argentina hopes to right its World Cup qualification campaign in Paraguay on Tuesday.