Barcelona captain has been accused of harassing and mentally traumatizing one of the club’s most expensive signings from recent months.
Antoine Griezmann scored the go-ahead goal as Barcelona beat Real Betis 5-2 at the Camp Nou before heading into the international break. The Frenchman had a first half to forget after he missed a penalty and several other chances, looking very much lacking in confidence. His former agent, Eric Olhats, has now opened up on the situation.
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Olhats believes his former client was ill-treated by the club’s captain Lionel Messi. The World Cup winner was blackballed more often than not last season, in favour of a 34-year-old Luis Suarez and did not justify his price tag of 120 million euros. Griezmann’s agent has slammed Messi and his dominance at Barca.
"Antoine arrived in a struggling club where Messi has a view on everything. Classic Messi! As good on the pitch as he is bad off it. Messi didn’t talk to him, didn’t pass him the ball. He created a real trauma for a more than negative adaptation."
While Griezmann’s agent may have taken his criticism on Messi a step too far, it is no secret that the player’s hegemony has put the club in a position it does not deserve to be in. Some of Messi’s most recommended signings, including that of Philippe Coutinho have flopped and not to mention, his dialogues to the press put Bartomeu under more pressure.
In all honesty, Barcelona made a mistake holding onto a player who wanted to leave the club since more than a year and are suffering for their own lapse. Messi is now not giving his all for the club and his poor statistics in the fixtures so far, coupled with the club’s overreliance on him only go on to further prove the statement made.
Do you think Messi is the problem of a few things at the Camp Nou?