"I couldn’t wait to learn from them" - When former Arsenal star commented on 'brutal' training with Lionel Messi at Barcelona
Former Barcelona midfielder Denis Suarez once revealed that training with Lionel Messi was a brutal experience. The Spanish midfielder moved to Camp Nou from Manchester City in the summer of 2013 but left for Villarreal in 2015.
He rejoined the Catalans in 2016, only to leave in 2019 for Celta Vigo after failing to cement his place in the starting XI. Currently with the Yellow Submarine, Suarez insists that he has no regrets about his time with the Blaugrana.
Speaking to The Athletic, the former Arsenal man also said that Lionel Messi is very competitive in training.
“I was at City for two years. They wanted me to renew but I preferred to go to Barcelona," Suarez said. "Nobody knows what would have happened. Maybe if I had stayed, I would be playing regularly there, but I took that decision to go to Barcelona and it was the right one for me because I played a lot of games for their first team."
He continued:
“And to train with Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta… brutal. Leo is the best. Andres is an example for me. I couldn’t wait to learn from them and play with them, Messi trains how he plays. He loves to win: in every session, he has to win."
Suarez registered eight goals and 11 assists from 71 games across competitions during his time at Camp Nou. He shared the pitch 58 times with Messi and they combined for four goals.
When did Lionel Messi last win a trophy with Barcelona?
Lionel Messi's final trophy with Barcelona was the 2021 Copa del Rey. The Argentinean would leave the club later that summer after they failed to offer him a new deal.
La Pulga last won LaLiga during the 2018/19 campaign. Interestingly, he has won the league 10 times with the Catalans. He has also won the Copa del Rey seven times with the LaLiga giants.
Barcelona last won the Champions League in the 2014/15 campaign, with the diminutive magician in the team. Messi has won the coveted trophy four times in his career, all with the Catalans.
The Argentinean has also won the FIFA World Cup, the Supercopa de Espana, and the UEFA Super Cup during his time at Camp Nou. He registered 672 goals and 303 assists from 778 games across competitions for the LaLiga giants.
Following the expiry of his contract in 2021, La Pulga joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He left the Ligue 1 champions in the summer of 2023 to move to Inter Miami.