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Lionel Messi told Barcelona that he wanted to leave in August: he has played almost 500 games for the club and scored 445 goals.
Ronald Koeman has dismissed claims that Lionel Messi is difficult to handle ahead of his Champions League Group G match against Dynamo Kyiv.
Former Barça manager Quique Setien suggested that he found the forward unwieldy during his short tenure.
“I disagree [with Setien] but I respect his opinion and what he has experienced, ”said Koeman.
Messi submitted a transfer request in August but was unable to force a move from Barcelona.
“Messi is a very good player, the best in the world,” Koeman said. “I see his ambition, but he’s not a player I have a hard time handling.
“Every coach is different, but for me, he’s the captain and I talk to him every week about things in the locker room and on the field and there is a good relationship,” Koeman said.
Setien was fired on 17 August, three days after Barça’s humiliating 8-2 defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals to Bayern Munich, with Koeman intervening.
Barcelona are off to a good start in this season’s Champions League, beating Juventus and Ferencvaros to rise to the top of Group G, bringing some relief from their poor form in La Liga.
Koeman’s team is twelfth, they haven’t won any of their last four games and lost 3-1 at home to Real Madrid on October 24.
“I understand the criticism,” he said. “Two points from the last four games are not good and criticism is normal. I accept it and keep working to improve things.”
Koeman also said goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is in contention for a return after recovering from a knee injury.
Their opponents, Dynamo Kyiv, have only won one point in their first two Champions League games. They are leaders of the Ukrainian Premier League, four points above Shakhtar Donetsk.
Source: bbc.com
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