Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman has the worst possible plans surrounding the club’s captain Lionel Messi for the 2020/21 season.
Lionel Messi reported to Barcelona training for the first time since boycotting the club’s affairs in order to force a move elsewhere. The Argentina international has trained separately for the last few days with Philippe Coutinho, but it is only a matter of time before he gains enough fitness to feature alongside the rest of his teammates.
Ronald Koeman is planning a revolution at the Camp Nou and is close to signing two of his compatriots, Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay. Moreover, he has already asked Luis Suarez to leave and the Uruguayan is close to joining the Serie A as is his other teammate deemed surplus, Arturo Vidal. Ivan Rakitic has already left for Sevilla.
Diario GOL has claimed that as the squad takes shape once again, the former Everton head coach has decided how he will line-up tactically. Keeping that in mind, he will employ Lionel Messi in a free-roaming role wherein the onus would be on him to do everything, from pressing and winning the ball back to creating and finishing off the chances.
Messi has flourished in a similar role under Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, but the squads back in those days were a lot different as compared to the current one. Therefore, it may not be the best of choices for the Dutchman to play the Argentina international in a role as this one with the players around him in mind.
Finally, the captain is 33 and has no guarantees of continuing at the club for the longer run despite the next presidential candidates already doing all they can to hold onto him. In such a case, building your entire squad around one man whose future is uncertain because of age and contract concerns isn’t the best thing to do.
What do you make of the tactical role being handed over to Messi?
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