Rafael Marquez, a former Barcelona defender, has recalled the time when the then-manager Pep Guardiola told Lionel Messi to “shut up”.
The incident happened after a five-a-side bust-up in training.
Marquez played for Barca between 2003 and 2010 and lined up alongside Messi during that stint.
On one occasion, the two players had an angry confrontation, after Marquez expressed his anger at Messi for holding onto the ball for too long.
It has now emerged that Guardiola stepped in to defend the Mexican and put Messi in his place.
Marquez said, as quoted by The Mirror: “Yes, in a five-a-side game [we clashed].
“He was on my team and of course, Messi had the ball. He had the goal to shoot and he didn’t shoot.
“We were losing and we said to him: ‘Messi, shoot, Messi, score a goal’. Nothing.
“Until I got p***ed off and told him: ‘Messi, let go of the ball, bro.’
“So he approached and answered me. Pep arrived and said: ‘Messi, shut up. You have to respect Rafa’s hierarchy.’”
