Disagreeing With Setien's Claim, Koeman Denies Messi Difficult To Manage

Lionel Messi and Ronald Koeman (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Ronald Koeman has denied claims that Lionel Messi is unruly. The Barcelona coach said this ahead of the Champions League Group G match between Los Blaugarana and Dynamo Kiev.

Former Barca coach Quique Setien revealed that he had difficulty handling Messi while still coaching the Catalan club.

"I don't agree (with Setien), but I respect his opinion and what he went through," Koeman told a pre-match press conference quoted by Antara from the BBC, Wednesday, November 4.

"Messi is a very good player, the best in the world," said Koeman. "I see his ambition, but he is not a player I find difficult to handle."

"Every coach is different - but for me, he is the captain and I talk to him every week about things in the dressing room and on the pitch and there are good relationships."

Setien himself was sacked on 17 August, three days after Barca's humiliating 2-8 Champions League quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich. Koeman then entered as his replacement.

Barcelona have made a great start in the Champions League this season, beating Juventus and Ferencvaros to sit top of Group G.

It was a relief when their performance in the domestic league was below par. Koeman's side are 12th, having won none of their last four matches, and lost 3-1 at home to Real Madrid on 24 October.

"I understand the criticism," he said. "Two points from the last four games are not good and that's normal when criticism comes. I accept it and continue to work to improve things."

Koeman also said goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was likely to play after recovering from a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Dynamo Kiev have only taken one point from their first two Champions League matches. In the domestic league, they are top of the Ukranian Premier League, four points clear of Shakhtar Donetsk.