"He should not have accepted" - Ex-La Masia director tells Barcelona star he made massive Lionel Messi-related mistake
Former La Masia director Xavi Martín has claimed that Ansu Fati made the mistake of accepting the #10 jersey at Barcelona after Lionel Messi's exit. He believes that the youngster should not have taken the pressure of carrying the number soon after the Argentine's exit.
Speaking to SPORT, Martin, who was the director of La Masia between 2019 and 2021, claimed that he would have advised Fati against taking the jersey number with the Barcelona first team. He believes that the pressure got to the player, and that led to his issues at the club.
He said via Barca Blaugranes:
“I take Ansu badly. He is an extraordinary person. I sincerely believe that he should not have accepted to wear the shirt with the ‘ten’ [worn by Lionel Messi]. If I was at La Masia at that moment, I would have told him: ‘Ansu, now is not the time. If it comes, it will come. Because he’s a very demanding kid with himself, and I think he put more pressure on him'.”
“When he made his debut at the Camp Nou, the next day Kluivert and I were there when he entered La Masia and I told him: ‘Ansu, you’re late, you’re going to be late for class'. And he tells me: ‘Xavi, it’s that people in the metro stopped me, I don’t know why’. And I say: ‘Don’t you know?’ I took the cover of the SPORT and said: ‘Is it because of this? It’s your photo man, you can’t take the metro again.”
Ansu Fati has played nine matches for Barcelona this season – just 191 minutes in all competitions. He has not scored or assisted and has often been dropped from the matchday squad by Hansi Flick.
Lionel Messi vowed to help Ansu Fati at Barcelona
Lionel Messi spoke highly of Ansu Fati in 2019 and vowed to help the young Spaniard at the club. He heaped praise on the teenager and stated that he was ready to guide him as Ronaldinho did for him in the 2000s. He told the club's official website:
"I like him and I'll try to help him. He is a fantastic player and has what it takes to succeed. But if I look through my eyes, I would like him to have a gradual participation, as happened to me when I started. It must be remembered that he is only 16 years old. I was helped a lot by Ronaldinho and Rijkaard."
"In fact, the whole team did it in their own way. Rijkaard left me out of some games and I was angry, but that's something that I can understand now that I'm older, and I am grateful to him," Messi added.
Ansu Fati was touted to be the next Lionel Messi by Barcelona, but the youngster has been troubled by injury issues. He was loaned out to Brighton & Hove Albion last season, but he failed to impress in the Premier League, scoring just two goals in 19 appearances.