FC Barcelona manager, Ronald Koeman has praised talismanic captain, Lionel Messi for putting his differences with the club aside to prove he still ‘wants to win’.
When Koeman arrived in the summer, Messi’s future was top of the agenda, with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner having publicly admitted his desire to leave. He had fallen out with the board, and in particular, the now-former president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
It appears however as if the Argentinian has since put that behind him to concentrate on his football and guide Barcelona through the season.
“When I arrived, they told me Messi was unhappy,” Koeman said in an interview with SPORT.
“We spoke at his house. He explained his reasons and I was honest.
“I told him that the only things I could change were football things: the system of play, his position on the pitch, his importance in the team. But the issues he had with the club, I could not change them.
“Messi demonstrated to me that he’s a person that wants to win things, be the best and continue being the best, even though he’s had his problems with the club.”
