Trouble in Catalan

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Kabalega
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Trouble in Catalan

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https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51391717

Lionel Messi: Eric Abidal to keep Barcelona sporting director role despite criticism

5 hours ago From the sectionEuropean Football
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Lionel Messi and Eric Abidal
Eric Abidal (right) and Lionel Messi played together at Barcelona between 2007 and 2013, with the Frenchman returning to the club after retirement to become sporting director in June 2018
Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal is to keep his job at the club despite being criticised by star forward Lionel Messi.

Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi spoke out against Abidal after he had said players were not working hard under former coach Ernesto Valverde.

Valverde was sacked in January and replaced by Quique Setien.

Barcelona called an emergency meeting with ex-France defender Abidal on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

After two hours of talks, it was decided the 40-year-old would remain in his role at the Nou Camp.

Abidal, a former team-mate of Messi, made the comments in an interview with Spanish newspaper Diario Sport.

But on Tuesday, 32-year-old Argentine Messi responded: "When you talk about players, you have to give names because if not, it gives air to things which are not true."

Valverde was sacked when Barcelona were top of La Liga.

In the newspaper interview, Abidal said: "Many players weren't satisfied or working hard and there was also an internal communication problem.

"The relationship between the coach and the dressing room has always been good, but there are things as an ex-player that I could smell. I told the club what I thought and we reached a decision [on Valverde]."

Messi then posted on social media: "Sincerely, I don't like to do these things but I think that people have to be responsible for their jobs and own their decisions.

"The players [are responsible] for what happens on the pitch and we are the first to admit when we haven't been good. The heads of the sports department have to take their responsibilities too and, above all, own the decisions they make."

In his interview with Diario Sport, Abidal also said he thought Messi was happy at the club and that a new contract for the Argentine was being negotiated.

Analysis

BBC Radio 5 Live Spanish football expert Guillem Balague

Barcelona had a difficult winter transfer window. They realised they needed a striker but, for different reasons, they couldn't get one.

With that in mind, and against the background of the sacking of the manager, there was a need for an explanation for what was going on - so the club forced Abidal to do an interview with two Catalan newspapers and he was extremely open.

It was the Sport one in particular that got Messi upset because Abidal suggested that the players were not happy under Valverde and did not work hard enough. It was suggested that it was the players who got him sacked.

In fact, Messi and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen - another key player - actually backed Valverde, even though everybody realised that at some point a change was necessary because the dynamic was not positive and the club was looking for a replacement.

Messi responded very quickly to Abidal's interview because he felt the finger of blame was being pointed at him.

I think Messi is fed up by the accusations he dictates everything that happens at the club. He wanted Neymar to return and Valverde to stay, and those things did not happen.

His message was a way of pointing out that everyone at the club has to do their job better.

The chairman has spoken to Abidal and Messi to calm things down and say take it easy.
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”- Sun Tzu
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by marko »

what club can afford Messi 500,000 a week wages ? City perhaps? Liverpool?
So angry Nigeria got kicked out of the world cup once again, i nearly told my wife that i caught my girlfriend with another man today!

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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by john12 »

even messi is bigger than their president.
48 laws of power
1) dont upset the wrong person.
even if messi ask for 1 million a week, person go pay
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by kajifu »

marko wrote:what club can afford Messi 500,000 a week wages ? City perhaps? Liverpool?
Pep is begging him to come help him win CL with City.
If manu can pay Alexis 400k a week,Arsenal 350k a week for Ozil,surely alot of clubs can pay Messi 700k a week
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by bepanda »

Poor Eric Abidal. The only black high profile GM in football?
Players are pilling on him. Xavi, Alba, ...etc.
He will most likely lose his job soon.
His Frenchmen at Barcelona have all been very poor. Dembele, Umtiti, Griezman ... etc...
While Spain Nationals has massively profited from the success of Spain in soccer worldwide (Pep, Arteta, Emery, the whole Arsenal football hierachy...), very few French nationals (especially blacks) have seen any success come their way. Many need to beg to get a coaching job.Zidane is a rare example.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by kalani JR »

kajifu wrote:
marko wrote:what club can afford Messi 500,000 a week wages ? City perhaps? Liverpool?
Pep is begging him to come help him win CL with City.
If manu can pay Alexis 400k a week,Arsenal 350k a week for Ozil,surely alot of clubs can pay Messi 700k a week
This doesn't sound like begging to me.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by kalani JR »

bepanda wrote:Poor Eric Abidal. The only black high profile GM in football?
Players are pilling on him. Xavi, Alba, ...etc.
He will most likely lose his job soon.
His Frenchmen at Barcelona have all been very poor. Dembele, Umtiti, Griezman ... etc...
While Spain Nationals has massively profited from the success of Spain in soccer worldwide (Pep, Arteta, Emery, the whole Arsenal football hierachy...), very few French nationals (especially blacks) have seen any success come their way. Many need to beg to get a coaching job.Zidane is a rare example.
Frenchman just won the world cup. Arteta hasnt been more succesful than Vieira or Blanc.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by bepanda »

France has dominated football in the last 20 years ... more than Italy for example.
2 WC in the last 20 years (98, 2018). 1 lost WC final (2006?). Yet, so few coaches in Spain. So few GMs ...
See how Spain is ripping the benefits ...
Crappy Spanish dudes get coaching jobs in England ... for no reason.
Bepanda
kalani JR wrote:
bepanda wrote:Poor Eric Abidal. The only black high profile GM in football?
Players are pilling on him. Xavi, Alba, ...etc.
He will most likely lose his job soon.
His Frenchmen at Barcelona have all been very poor. Dembele, Umtiti, Griezman ... etc...
While Spain Nationals has massively profited from the success of Spain in soccer worldwide (Pep, Arteta, Emery, the whole Arsenal football hierachy...), very few French nationals (especially blacks) have seen any success come their way. Many need to beg to get a coaching job.Zidane is a rare example.
Frenchman just won the world cup. Arteta hasnt been more succesful than Vieira or Blanc.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by kalani JR »

bepanda wrote:France has dominated football in the last 20 years ... more than Italy for example.
2 WC in the last 20 years (98, 2018). 1 lost WC final (2006?). Yet, so few coaches in Spain. So few GMs ...
See how Spain is ripping the benefits ...
Crappy Spanish dudes get coaching jobs in England ... for no reason.
Bepanda
kalani JR wrote:
bepanda wrote:Poor Eric Abidal. The only black high profile GM in football?
Players are pilling on him. Xavi, Alba, ...etc.
He will most likely lose his job soon.
His Frenchmen at Barcelona have all been very poor. Dembele, Umtiti, Griezman ... etc...
While Spain Nationals has massively profited from the success of Spain in soccer worldwide (Pep, Arteta, Emery, the whole Arsenal football hierachy...), very few French nationals (especially blacks) have seen any success come their way. Many need to beg to get a coaching job.Zidane is a rare example.
Frenchman just won the world cup. Arteta hasnt been more succesful than Vieira or Blanc.
Crappy French coaches have been getting jobs too, Remi Garde? Claude Puel? Rohr? /s. There are deeper reasons why people rushed to Spanish coaches, mostly stylistic and after that we can get into black French coaches and execs.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by Mr. Piffington »

kajifu wrote:
marko wrote:what club can afford Messi 500,000 a week wages ? City perhaps? Liverpool?
Pep is begging him to come help him win CL with City.
If manu can pay Alexis 400k a week,Arsenal 350k a week for Ozil,surely alot of clubs can pay Messi 700k a week
Not really. Pep doesn't want him and City won't pay 500,000 a week for a 32 year old. Liverpool? That's never going to happen, he's too expensive.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by Mr. Piffington »

kalani JR wrote:
kajifu wrote:
marko wrote:what club can afford Messi 500,000 a week wages ? City perhaps? Liverpool?
Pep is begging him to come help him win CL with City.
If manu can pay Alexis 400k a week,Arsenal 350k a week for Ozil,surely alot of clubs can pay Messi 700k a week
This doesn't sound like begging to me.
This is why one shouldn't believe the bullshit people say on the internet.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by maceo4 »

Mr. Piffington wrote:
kalani JR wrote:
kajifu wrote:
marko wrote:what club can afford Messi 500,000 a week wages ? City perhaps? Liverpool?
Pep is begging him to come help him win CL with City.
If manu can pay Alexis 400k a week,Arsenal 350k a week for Ozil,surely alot of clubs can pay Messi 700k a week
This doesn't sound like begging to me.
This is why one shouldn't believe the bullshit people say on the internet.
Be specific, not people, kajifu...
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by cchinukw »

Messi is past it abeg.

He'll be found out in the PL
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by mcal »

...their talisman is running out of steam.
Top sides have change at other leagues same will happen in Spain.
Midget Messi not gonna pull strings forever on the field.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

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marko wrote:what club can afford Messi 500,000 a week wages ? City perhaps? Liverpool?
That's around $30 million per year. In NFL, NBA and MLB salaries, it's a normal salary for the top players let alone the mega stars who earn much higher salaries. My point is 500k/week is doable for the biggest clubs in Europe if they want to make it happen.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by pajimoh »

green4life wrote:
marko wrote:what club can afford Messi 500,000 a week wages ? City perhaps? Liverpool?
That's around $30 million per year. In NFL, NBA and MLB salaries, it's a normal salary for the top players let alone the mega stars who earn much higher salaries. My point is 500k/week is doable for the biggest clubs in Europe if they want to make it happen.
It might be doable but when your other players renewal is due, they might not ask for what Messi is getting but they will ask for significant increase. That is why some clubs are trapped in high wages net. What one gets must be comparable to another abd with 23 players in your squad......
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by kalani JR »

Messi like my girlfriend isn't going anywhere, even though I get caught.
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

Post by Kabalega »

mcal wrote:...their talisman is running out of steam.
Top sides have change at other leagues same will happen in Spain.
Midget Messi not gonna pull strings forever on the field.
[/video]
:D :D :D
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”- Sun Tzu
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Re: Trouble in Catalan

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[/video] :D :D
“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”- Sun Tzu

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