Lionel Messi opens up about his reactionary social media post against Eric Abidal

Lionel Messi opens up about his outrageous social media post against Eric Abidal after the latter made comments on players’ performances.

Lionel Messi openly spoke against Eric Abidal on social media, after Barcelona’s sporting director gave controversial statements against the players and things got even worse when allegations against Barcelona board were made for hiring a PR firm to defame key players on social media anonymously.

The Barcelona captain talked about the events exclusively with the Mundo Deportivo and opened about his fresh row with Abidal, and explaining the background behind his reaction.

“It really took me a bit by surprise because I wasn’t here and I was travelling [to Dubai]. When I got back I learned a little about everything,” he told Mundo Deportivo.

“The president told us the same thing he said in public; the same thing he said at the press conference. What was the situation, what had happened and I can’t say much more. Just as you know everything he said, he told the captains the same in private.

“I really find it strange that something like this has happened. But they also said that there would be evidence. We will have to wait to see if it is true or not. We cannot say much and we will wait to see what happens with all of this. I really thought it was a strange subject.”

Meanwhile, Messi also explained why he felt as though he needed to respond to Abidal, as he uncharacteristically took to social media to issue a reaction after Abidal’s criticism of the players in the wake of Ernesto Valverde’s departure.

“I don’t know what happened to him [for him] to say that, but I think I responded because I felt attacked,” he added. “I felt that he was attacking the players.

“And too many things are said about the locker room, that it handles everything, that it puts in and takes out coaches, [and] brings players [to the club] and especially [about] me. ”

“Like I have a lot of power and I make decisions. And it bothered me for a person from the club, a sporting director, to say that … to put the players in the middle of dismissal such as that of the coach seemed crazy.

“He is the sporting director who makes the decisions and has to take charge. He is the one who makes the decisions. That’s why I went out to clear things up, I knew I couldn’t let the sports director attack me like that.”

Despite all of this, Messi further said in the interview that he is happy at Barcelona, and it is home to him since he has spent more years over here than his birthplace Rosario.

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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