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Ronald Koeman saw Lionel Messi score his 650th goal for Barcelona and urged the club to fire anyone who was responsible for leaking the details of his contract to Spanish daily El Mundo.
The irate Barcelona coach said: ‘What has come out is intended to hurt him. Messi deserves respect.
“He has done a lot for Spanish football. There are people who want to hurt Barcelona and Messi. If it turns out to be someone on the inside, it’s very bad and he shouldn’t have a future at the club. ”
The story that appeared in El Mundo on Sunday suggested that the 550 million euros that Messi can earn with his current contract with Barcelona threatened to ‘ruin’ the club.
Koeman said he was not done with the 33-year-old Argentine, but he certainly seemed more motivated against Athletic Bilbao, the club that beat Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, a match in which Messi was sent off.
He had the first chance of the game that Unai Simon did well to save, but the Athletic goalkeeper could do nothing against Messi’s free kick before the break.
Athletic had Iker Muniain lying behind the wall and Yeray returning to the goal line, but nothing could stop the free kick that headed towards the upper corner. It is the 49th goal of his career from a free kick.
“I don’t understand how Messi can be related to the ruin of Barcelona,” Koeman added.
“For years he has shown his quality by making this club great and helping them win important trophies.
“He has been the best in the world for some time and is still decisive.”
Barcelona needed a little more than Messi to score three points in that game, then above Real Madrid and in second place in the table 10 points behind leader Atlético de Madrid.
Jordi Alba advanced his only goalkeeper four minutes after the restart, but Oscar Minugueza overlapped on the right and crossed for Antoine Griezmann to get the winning goal. It was his eleventh goal against Athletic club in 23 games.
“We have to be united,” Koeman said. “We need to put aside the things that have been published but we know that it is difficult. Is a great player. Without Leo we can’t aspire too much. ‘
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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