In a recent interview, Lionel Messi expressed his dissatisfaction with Pep Guardiola’s training methods during their time together at Barcelona, stating that he found it confusing.
The Argentina captain specifically highlighted his concerns with how Guardiola’s tactics were being imparted to young players at La Masia.
According to the former Barcelona star, he believed that the rigid training approach limited the natural abilities of the young athletes, as they were constrained to adhere to a strict system.
Messi recounted that even six-year-olds were being instructed to focus on taking two touches and playing at a faster pace, rather than focusing on understanding the game and improving their spatial awareness.
He suggested that instead of emphasizing such structured training at a young age, the focus should be on nurturing the children’s comprehension of the game and enhancing their ability to find open spaces on the field.
Reflecting on his experience, Messi expressed his thoughts on the matter by stating, “The Guardiola era was a bit confusing… Many times, six and seven-year-old kids are already starting to be told that they have to play with two touches, to play fast, that they can’t have much of the ball.”
“I think that at that age it has to be a bit like what happened to me: to teach them to better understand the game, to know how to move, to find spaces, to play quickly, but not to take away the spontaneity of each one,” he added.