FC Barcelona: Lionel Messi Praises Pep Guardiola and Club

Lionel Messi praised Pep Guardiola, FC Barcelona coach, for having a positive impact in his career. He also expressed a desire to remain with La Blaugrana until retirement.

Messi considered Guardiola an innovator who is familiar with La Blaugrana and knows what to do. Messi also expressed feeling comfortable with Guardiola's leadership in the club.

Messi said that his reason (for remaining) was because he considers Barca the best club in the world. He also talked about how he spent the majority of his time with La Blaugrana.

The FC Barcelona great from Argentina went on to say that he should be judged after the end of his career. The declarations were published in ESPN Soccernet in light of the Catalan Derby between Barca and Espanyol to take place on January 8, 2012.

Messi is very loyal to FC Barcelona to the point that he cried when the club lost one match to Real Madrid. While people criticize Messi for many things, he should be priased for showing team loyalty at a time when money has replaced such loyalties.

It is a crime that Carlos Tevez does not learn from Lionel Messi the lesson of team loyalty.