‘He was a difficult person to deal with’ – Documentary reveals Messi’s strange behaviour at Barca

According to Alexandre Julliard, the author of ‘Insubmersible Messi’, Lionel Messi disliked being substituted or benched to the point that he refused to train if he had either been on the bench or substituted in a match during his time at Barcelona with Pep Guardiola.

Julliard revealed that Guardiola had to go and speak to Messi on some days because the Argentine forward was refusing to train with the squad.

In France, where Messi currently plays, a documentary made by RMC Sport on the Paris Saint-Germain player has focused on the player’s personality and his rather strange behaviour off the field when he was playing for Barca.

Messi has, arguably, always played the game of football better than another else in history. However, while he’s seen as a genius, he also has qualities, which many consider to be negative.

“He was a difficult person to deal with,” Julliard revealed. “He’s very reserved and had a communication problem. He didn’t tell you things directly.

“When something annoyed him, he used to send someone as a messenger to deal with the problem.”

Julliard also revealed that Guardiola had to go on the odd occasion to Messi’s house to talk to him about his anger for being substituted or left on the bench.

“If one day he was on the bench or had been replaced, he didn’t want to train the next day. Pep Guardiola used to say ‘I’m going to lose him’. So he got his car and went to his house to speak to him. This seems crazy nowadays.

“That was his way of asking for help. Going to his home, talking to him and calming him down.”

Messi has been coached by a number of greats throughout his glorious career, but in the documentary, it was inferred that Guardiola – who currently manages Manchester City – is the person who has best been able to handle the Argentine’s difficult personality.