Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman says he can understand the frustration from Lionel Messi after Luis Suarez joined Atletico Madrid.
Ronald Koeman has responded to recent comments from Lionel Messi aimed at the club’s treatment of Luis Suarez.
The Barcelona captain let his anger be known after his close friend was ‘forced’ out of Camp Nou.
For a player who is Barca’s third all-time goal-scorer, Messi felt the club did not show enough respect to Suarez.
Ronaldo Koeman deemed the Uruguayan surplus to requirements and he eventually joined Atletico Madrid.
The Barca boss reveals he has indeed spoken to Messi about his recent anger at the club and shared some info about their discussion.
“If you have someone in the locker room with whom you and your wife and children also hang out outside football, then such a reaction makes sense,” Koeman said in an interview with NOS.
“I also said that to Messi: ‘I understand that you are disappointed and think it is a terrible shame that he is leaving, but these are choices of the club’.”
Messi also wanted to leave Barca before the season started, though he decided to stay because he did not want to take the club to court over the issue.
Koeman says Messi has performed well despite his disappointment and is happy with the player’s performance.
“After signing here, I immediately contacted Leo. I went to his house and talked to him about his future,” he added.
“He was clear about his dissatisfaction. In the end, it worked out well and from the moment he indicated: ‘I’m going for it’, he has done everything I expect of him.”
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