Former Barcelona boss claims Lionel Messi is difficult to manage

BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Lionel Messi and Quique Setien, head coach of FC Barcelona during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and SD Eibar SAD at Camp Nou on February 22, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Lionel Messi and Quique Setien, head coach of FC Barcelona during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and SD Eibar SAD at Camp Nou on February 22, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Quique Setien says it’s not easy to manage Lionel Messi at Barcelona.

Former Barcelona coach Quique Setien has admitted that there have been many things that could have been done in a different manner during his time at the Nou Camp. The ex-Real Betis coach has admitted that things were not perfect and that he was helpless in some situations during his 6 months run at the home of the La Liga giants.

More from Everything Barca

The former coach admitted that it was really hard to manage the captain Lionel Messi. The Argentine always had a superior reputation for everyone at the club, even in his country. The manager states this whole situation of reputation as the justification for how he could not manage Messi. He stated that he could not be critical of the Argentine given his stature at the Nou Camp.

Setien signed for the Blaugrana in the month of January as he replaced Ernesto Valverde as the head coach. However, he was sacked within 6 months of his appointment given the fact that he produced poor results. He failed to finish on top of the La Liga and he also received a good thrashing of 8 goals by Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League.

The former Real Betis man was sacked after he lost the tie against the Treble winning squad by a huge humiliating scoreline. He stated that it is difficult to critic a six-time Ballon d’Or winner and that he was nobody to change the way he plays or be critical of him on the pitch. The manager was sacked after Barca finished completely trophyless in a very long time, something which is not very common at the home of the La Liga giants.

Next. Barcelona planning a January transfer for Manchester City starlet. dark

Can Ronald Koeman use his reputation to bring the best out of Messi?