Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi has revealed why Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is the best coach he has worked with in his career, while also explaining why the former FC Barcelona boss "did a lot of harm to football."
According to Transfermarkt, Messi made 219 appearances under the Spaniard during a successful four seasons together at the Camp Nou and the Argentine was remarkably prolific during that time as he contributed 211 goals and 94 assists in the process.
The attacker would also go on to win four consecutive Ballon d'Or awards from 2008 to 2012, a feat no player has managed to achieve in the history of the prestigious prize.
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In an interview with Movistar Plus, the 35-year-old insisted that the City coach's methods changed the way players and managers see the game, as Guardiola was hugely influential with regards to ball-playing defenders and attacking full-backs.
"Guardiola did a lot of harm to football. It seemed so simple and easy that everyone wanted to copy his style," the Albiceleste captain said.
Interviewer Jorge Valdano replied: "Exactly, in every division too, even in the third division central defenders were running forward."
Messi then responded: "Yeah, later I found a lot of Guardiolas around. That's when you realise what we accomplished."
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When asked if the 51-year-old was the best coach he's ever had, seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi replied: "No doubt about it, Guardiola is special, distinctively the way he sees every match, the preparation for it and how he communicates (the strategy) to us."
Guardiola has shared the same admiration for Messi, having insisted on numerous occasions that the PSG star is the best player he has managed.
"He is the best player of all time," Guardiola said in 2015, according to talkSPORT. "I compare him with Pele. I am so happy to see this football."
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