Last season in January Barcelona sacked Ernesto Valverde and appointed Quique Setien as the new manager but unfortunately he too didn’t lasted long enough.
After Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Setien was sacked in August and former Barcelona player Ronald Koeman has now been appointed as the new manager.
After being relieved of his duties, Setien has now revealed that Barcelona captain Lionel Messi is difficult to manage.
According to an article by Goal, in an interview with former Real Madrid and Spain coach Vicente del Bosque for El Pais, Setien spoke about the difficulty of managing a player like Messi, the winner of six Ballon d’Or awards and someone Setien considers the greatest to ever play the game.
Setien said: “I think Messi is the best of all time. There have been other great players who have been great, but the continuity that this boy has had throughout the years has not been had by anyone.”
“Leo is difficult to manage. Who am I to change him! If they have accepted him as he is for years and have not changed him.”
“There’s another facet beyond just the player and it’s more difficult to manage. Much more difficult. It’s something inherent in many athletes that can be seen in the Michael Jordan documentary (“The Last Dance”). You see things you don’t expect.”
“He’s very reserved but he makes you see the things that he wants. He doesn’t talk much.”
Setien further added: “After leaving what I am clear on is that at certain times I should have made other decisions, but there’s something above you: the club.
“And it is above the president, the player, the coach. It’s the club and the fans. They are the ones to whom you owe the greatest respect, and you have to do what is most convenient for the club as a whole.”
Setien’s Barcelona reign ended in the summer and club president Bartomeu has also resigned a few days back. Barcelona are going through a tumultuous time off the pitch.
Ronald Koeman has been somewhat able to manage the team and make them play beautiful football though the results haven’t been satisfying always. On the other hand, the presidential elections will also be carried out shortly to elect the new president to take the club forward.
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