When Lionel Messi named his 3 favorite Barcelona managers from his time at the club
Lionel Messi once named three managers he enjoyed playing under during his legendary stint with Barcelona. The Argentine superstar said that he had memorable times under Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde.
The 37-year-old star said in June of this year (via @ActualiteBarca on X):
"I was very happy at Barcelona when I was coached by Pep, Luis Enrique and Valverde."
While Frank Rijkaard was the man he made his debut under, Messi's rise to stardom occurred under Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard took charge of Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 in a period that saw the attacker win the Ballon d'Or four times (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012). Notably, he had a record-setting 2012 calendar year, scoring an incredible 91 goals. In all, he featured in 219 games under Guardiola, collecting 211 goals and 94 assists.
Enrique took charge in the summer of 2014 and managed the formidable MSN trio consisting of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. The Catalan giants were wildly successful in his tenure, winning the Champions League once, La Liga twice and Copa del Rey twice. Under him, the attacker made 158 appearances, bagging 153 goals and 76 assists.
Valverde took over from Enrique after he left the club in the summer of 2017. He was not quite as successful as his predecessors as the club's financial troubles began to set in around the end of his tenure. The Inter Miami icon was still at his best in this period, scoring 112 times and setting up 51 more in 124 games.
Frank Lampard voices opinion on debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Chelsea hero Frank Lampard recently suggested that it would be unfair to pick the better player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The legendary Premier League midfielder applauded the Argentine star's talent while also lauding the Portuguese icon's hunger and dedication.
He said (via TNT Sports):
"I played against both, more against Cristiano, when he was at Manchester United. I played a lot against Messi, in some big games between Chelsea and Barcelona. Messi, for me, individually, in terms of talent, is probably the greatest ever, but what Cristiano has done, in terms of what he has become, the numbers, the results, the goals, the dedication and the hunger he continues to have, even to this day, means that they are there together.
Lampard faced off against Ronaldo mostly during the 39-year-old's tenure with Manchester United early on in his career. In 16 games, he was victorious five times will the former Real Madrid forward won six times.
He also enjoyed a few battles with Messi as Chelsea and Barcelona had some iconic face-offs in the Champions League. The pair shared two wins apiece in the 11 games they faced each other.