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The current turmoil at Barcelona is showing no signs of subsiding, as latest reports coming in indicate that Lionel Messi and Luis Enrique are at loggerheads, with the latter having to be forced to not take disciplinary action against Messi, who failed to show up at an open door training session.
Luis Enrique was criticised heavily for the team’s loss to Real Sociedad on Sunday, with his decision to keep Messi and Neymar on the bench attracting flak. Messi was clearly not impressed with Enrique’s management, with the thought that keeping Neymar, Pique, Dani Alves and him on the bench didn’t make sense.
Messi not impressed with Enrique’s management
One of the reports also stated that Messi was angry with the club’s manager and believed that his decisions led to the loss. According to Spanish journalist Joseba Larranaga, Messi does not have faith in the manager and does not believe that he can turn the teams’s current situation around. He also said that the Argentine is disappointed that the board have continued to back Enrique despite there being questions over the playing style and the fact that results haven’t always been good.
Earlier in the season, there were again reports of a disagreement between Messi and Enrique, when the former refused to come out of the game when asked by the latter.
Enrique wanted to punish Messi for his no-show
Following the loss, the Argentine failed to turn up to an “open door training session” on Monday, citing gastroenteritis, and it has been reported that Luis Enrique wanted to formally punish Messi for his absence.
The tensions in the Barcelona threatened to spill over, when it was said that Enrique dismissed Messi’s “gastroenteritis” reason for his absence as not convincing enough. and was extremely furious over Messi missing the session which was attended by thousands of fans, including numerous children. He had also reportedly decided to formally punish Messi, but his decision was altered by the intervention of the captains, Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets.
The three captains cleared the air, and said that nothing would come out of trying to punish Messi, and suggested that they will speak to the Argentine later to diffuse the situation.
