Ernesto Valverde spent two and a half years at the helm of Barcelona. Just as many managers before him the team’s talisman and linchpin was Lionel Messi.
Messi and Valverde to all intense and purpose had a solid manager-player relationship. The Argentine paid his former boss a huge public compliment by thanking him for all his endeavors at FC Barcelona after he was fired.
It appears that Valverde is now revealing what it was really like to coach a player of Messi’s caliber in an interview reported by Goal.
He said:
“Messi can’t be compared with anyone,”
“Many times, from the touchline, you’re always thinking what can be the best option.”
“Ultimately, he sees it much better than you from on the pitch.”
“Messi is a very easy player to coach because he also has a great impulse with respect to the team.”
“He has a great ambition to win, he always feels such an obligation to the game as for the club. He transmits that to the group and it forces everyone to be at a higher level.”
“Seeing him play is impressive from afar… but even more so from up close.”
