Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi
Barcelona superstar, Lionel Messi said on Friday he felt far too
emotional to face the media glare at coach Pep Guardiola's farewell
announcement, reports AFP.
"I want to thank Pep with all my heart for everything he has given me
in my professional career and personally," the 24-year-old Argentinian
said on his Facebook page.
"Because of the emotions I feel I preferred not to be present at Pep's
press conference and to stay away from the press because I know they
will look for the pain on the players' faces.
"It is something I have decided not to show."
More than 100,000 fans clicked the 'Like' button on Messi's comment to
demonstrate their support and 10,000 left comments, the vast majority
backing him.
Defender Gerard Pique, who left hospital just two days earlier after a
bash to the head during Barcelona's Champions League semi-final defeat
to Chelsea, praised his departing coach.
"Many thanks Pep for giving us so much," he wrote on his Twitter account.
"Four years full of victories, of good times and above all lessons in football."
Only on Monday, the 25-year-old Pique had said he was convinced
Guardiola would stay on as coach because of his love for the club and
the profession.
However the 41-year-old coach announced on Friday he was bringing his
four-year reign over one of the greatest eras in club football to an
end.
"Four years is an eternity as coach of Barca. Time wears everything
down, I feel drained and I need to replenish," said Guardiola, who cited
exhaustion as the reason for his departure.
"I cannot replenish if I coach again immediately, I don't want to."
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell appointed Francesc "Tito" Vilanova, a
former Barcelona player and Guardiola's assistant for the past four
years, as the new coach.
Cesc Fabregas, who returned last year to childhood club Barcelona from
Arsenal, said on Twitter: "Even though I was only with him for one year
it felt like a lot more. For me Pep was my hero as a kid."
The Spain international gave a vote of confidence to Vilanova, who came
through Barcelona's youth ranks as a player before joining other sides,
rejoining the Catalans as a youth coach in 2007.
"For Tito, I wish the best in this new opportunity that football has
given to him. We were together when I was a kid," Fabregas said.
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