'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB//aAAgBAQAAAAAiTP/EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX/2gAIAQIQAAAAN//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAIAQMQAAAAH//EAB4QAAICAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAxEEEgAFMVLx/9oACAEBAAE/AOo7SIdhiwtCyiopi6NZINDU7X7H6OYgjzcSHKjZ4knRZVTW9QwuvPP/xAAZEQABBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAMEEiH/2gAIAQIBAT8AlNBUcX//xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAID/9oACAEDAQE/ANwak//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Working with the greatest player in history as a trainer is something most managers will wish happened to them in their careers. Players like Lionel Messi only come once in an era.
Therefore, managing a person like the Argentine superstar is a very remarkable occurrence to most managers. To some, it is a dream come true and only few will realize this dream in their entire life.
In the past few years, we have seen many world-class, intelligent tactical geniuses and reputed personalities taking up the role of managing the football wizard.
From Pep Guardiola, Tito Vilanova, Frank Rijkaard, Eduardo Bauza, Jorge Sampaoli, Luis Enrique and Gerardo Martino, we look at 5 big-name managers who have coached the Barca Legend in their careers.
#5 Jorge Sampaoli
A friend and a foe, is what describes the relationship between Jorge Sampaoli and Lionel Messi. The coach has led many teams against the Argentine superstar in recent years including denting his hopes of winning the Copa America in 2015, when his Chile team defeated Argentina in the final.
He faced the Barca legend again last year during his spell with the Spanish team, Sevilla. Although, people believe that they had a healthy inter-personal relationship
Jorge Sampaoli is one of the biggest names to train the player. They started working together since June 1, 2017, when the Argentina FA presented their coach officially. In fact, it was believed that Sampaoli influenced Messi to come out of retirement after the player declared he wasn't going to play for the Nation in 2016.
The coach was faced with a serious problem in his early times with the team, as Argentina risked their World Cup qualification. He had only one match left and needed a victory to qualify.
Then he called on the Mighty Messi to help him out. The playmaker scored a vital hat-trick against Ecuador to ensure that Sampaoli's men made it to Russia. This is a big achievement for his side considering how much the team suffered to make it to the World Cup.
#4 Ernesto Valverde
After Luis Enrique departed Barcelona in the summer of 2017, the tactician was replaced with former Athletic Bilbao manager, Ernesto Valverde. The first few weeks of Valverde's appointment was full of crisis. The manager had inherited an already-collapsing squad and was assigned with a big responsibility.
At first, things did not go well in the Barcelona camp. The Blaugrana lost Neymar in a controversial deal and were later humiliated in the Spanish Super Cup by arch-rivals, Real Madrid.
This brought a lot of questions as many people feared if the manager could handle the pressure in such a big club. Some even questioned if he could manage a superstar like Lionel Messi.
But it was only a matter of time before the tactician proved himself to the world. Currently, Barca is the most dominant team in Europe and are yet to taste defeat in both La Liga and UEFA Champions League.
One of the best things he has done at Barca is how he brought Lionel Messi back to his obvious best. Under Valverde, Messi has been in amazing form, firing the Spanish giants from victory to victory.
Most times, the Argentine has been deployed alongside Suarez in a 4-4-2 formation (something that looks more like a 4-4-1-1, as Messi drops deeper) and a vital balance has been created in the team.
This season, Barca is on course to win a treble, after reaching the final of the Copa Del Rey, facing a relatively easier fixture against Roma in the Champions League and 11 points ahead of the La Liga table with just 9 games left. Bravo!
#3 Frank Rijkaard
Lionel Messi is now the best footballer in the world but he owes so much to Frank Rijkaard who oversaw his development during the early years of his career. Rijkaard was appointed Barcelona manager for the 2003-2004 season.
During this time, Messi was making waves at the team's youth level.
Rijkaard helped Messi to progress to the first team and ensured that his talents continued progressing. He introduced the genius into the team where he had the privilege to train with the best players of that time, including Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, and Ludovic Guily.
He was finally handed his debut on November 16, 2003, in a match against Porto.
The manager ensured that he monitored the Argentine's development during his time at the club. They won many trophies together including the Champions League in 2006. He finally left the club in 2008, at a time when Messi was already a global star and made the Ballon d'Or nomination that year.
#2 Luis Enrique
He was appointed the manager of FC Barcelona on May 19, 2014, and worked with the club until June 30, 2017, when his contract expired. At the club, he had the privilege to train the greatest player in the club's career, Lionel Messi. Although their start was a bit controversial, they later had a perfect relationship.
During their time at the club, Enrique improved Messi's game by introducing some form of counter-attacking system with Neymar and Luis Suarez joining Messi to form a formidable attack. Their time of working together was marked with lots of success, winning 9 trophies collectively and Messi winning the 2015 Ballon d'Or along with other individual awards.
Enrique later left Messi and co. after seeing out his contract in the last summer but his time at the club was a joy to watch.
#1 Pep Guardiola
Arguably the most successful coach in Barcelona's history and the greatest manager in Messi's entire career. Pep Guardiola had the most influence on Lionel Messi's footballing career. The tactical genius was the coach at FC Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.
It is true that Messi's most successful years came under Pep Guardiola. With the manager's possession-based system, the Argentine superstar flourished. He was deployed as a playmaker occupying the famous false 9 position for most of their time together.
They won many trophies including 2 UEFA Champions League and 3 La Liga trophies. Messi also won 4 consecutive Ballon d'Or awards under the manager.
Pep Guardiola's ambitious nature drove him out of Spain to join Bayern Munich but he will always be remembered by his little genius, Lionel Messi.
Please note that this list is Opinion-Based.
