Lionel Messi cannot leave Barcelona in 2021, club legend Ferrer says

• Ronald Koeman is bringing again Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona, however the membership is not but able to let go of Lionel Messi.
• That is in accordance with Barca legend Albert Ferrer, who says Messi staying on the Camp Nou subsequent 12 months is “important.”
• “So long as we will hold Messi, it will likely be higher for Barcelona,” Ferrer advised Insider. 
• Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Ronald Koeman is bringing again Johan Cruyff’s legendary Barcelona facet of the early Nineteen Nineties by way of gamers like Frenkie de Jong and the membership’s children, however they are not but able to take the reins from Lionel Messi.

That is in accordance with Barcelona legend Albert Ferrer, who advised Insider completely this week that Messi staying on the Camp Nou subsequent season is “important” to Koeman’s Barca revolution.

Koeman, who performed below Cruyff and alongside Ferrer for the Catalans throughout the Nineteen Nineties, took over as Barcelona manager in August following the sacking of Quique Setien.

The Dutchman endured a tough begin as head coach, shedding 4 and drawing two of his first 10 La Liga video games in cost, nonetheless has since turned the ship round.

Koeman’s Barcelona is at the moment unbeaten within the Spanish high flight because the begin of December and has gained its final six video games on the bounce – kind that has seen it rise to 3rd place and simply three factors behind rivals Actual Madrid with a sport in hand.

Ferrer says his former teammate is doing a “sensible” job on the Camp Nou, and that the similarities between his fashion of administration and Johan Cruyff’s are stark.

“I feel he is doing improbable,” Ferrer advised Insider of Koeman at a celebration of La Liga’s ninetieth birthday on Thursday.

“It wasn’t straightforward, I feel it’s a interval the place they’ve had a number of issues financially and likewise they do not have a president in the meanwhile, so it is not one of the best time to land in Barcelona and attempt to change all the things.

“However I feel little by little he is stepping into the gamers and the gamers are beginning to imagine once more in what he is doing.

The important thing similarity between Koeman’s Barcelona and Cruyff’s, Ferrer stated, is the staff’s attacking aptitude.

“I feel it is truthful to say that this Barcelona is similar to the Barcelona that Ronald Koeman and myself performed within the the early 90s. It is a very offensive staff, and a staff in a position to concede possibilities and objectives each single sport, like we have seen Actual Betis and Granada rating objectives in opposition to them. However they create so many possibilities.”

Cruyff, with Ferrer and Koeman in his staff, guided Barcelona to 4 consecutive La Liga titles between 1990 and 1994.

His “Dream Workforce” performed an early model of a mode which is now often known as “tiki-taka” – specializing in quick, quick passing and motion, sustaining possession, and positional interchange amongst midfielders.

“He tries to make the gamers perceive what’s the philosophy of Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona,” added Ferrer.

“It’s troublesome to do precisely the identical as Johan did after we have been there, as a result of the soccer has modified, it has change into extra bodily, however I feel he is mainly attempting to do the identical issues.”

Ferrer singled out Dutchman Frenkie de Jong, who joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019, as key to Koeman’s new Barcelona.

“One of many issues Barcelona missed within the final years earlier than Ronald Koeman arrived was gamers like Txiki Begiristain, Ronald Koeman, and Guillermo Amor, who come into the field from the second line.

“Koeman has recovered that, Koeman received that again with Frenkie de Jong, who’s a participant that performs as each holding midfielder and offensive midfielder and will get into the field extra instances than any striker. 

“So he is attempting to recuperate, attempting to carry again issues that reside in that interval within the 90s and I feel it is going to achieve success.”

Ferrer additionally hailed Koeman for serving to carry on gamers from the membership’s much-vaunted La Masia youth academy, which previously produced the likes of Messi, Andres Iniesta, Pep Guardiola, and Xavi. Particularly, Ferrer singled out Pedri, who made his debut in October last year.

“What he is doing with Pedri is unbelievable,” he stated. “The character that he has to maintain enjoying [Ronald] Araújo, [Óscar] Mingueza, and younger gamers, I feel that is the way in which.

“Barcelona supporters I feel they perceive that this isn’t the season that they should win La Liga, it is a season of rising, and that presumably Ronald Koeman is one of the best supervisor Barcelona can have to take action.”

Lionel Messi is “important” to Koeman’s revolution

Messi, who has been with Barcelona since he was 12 years old, shocked the footballing world in August 2020 by declaring his intention to leave the Camp Nou by handing in a transfer request.

Although the transfer away by no means materialized with the Argentine backing down amid a dispute over his contract, Messi is but to signal a brand new deal and is free to go away the membership this summer season.

Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain are favorites for the 33-year-old’s signature, nonetheless Ferrer says shedding Messi is solely not an choice for Barcelona if it needs Koeman’s revolution to proceed. 

“It’s important for Barcelona, as a result of I feel the gamers should not prepared but to take this problem,” Ferrer advised Insider when requested if Messi should keep on the membership subsequent 12 months.

“So long as we will hold Messi, it will likely be higher for Barcelona as a result of he’s going to show all of the younger skills, they’re going to be taught from him.

“A few of them, clearly will not be the subsequent Messi, however should take the accountability. We have seen gamers over the previous years that have not taken it, like Ousmane Dembele for instance, who at the moment are doing it. Pedri would be the one. Ansu Fati would be the one.

“Having Messi at Barcelona shall be essential.”