Messi did endure a dip in form last season, was it down to his diet?
Former Barcelona coach and sporting director Carles Rexach has criticised Lionel Messi for ‘eating too many pizzas’ last season and has put that down to why his form dipped.
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The 68-year-old spent two brief coaching spells at Camp Nou in the early 1990s and 2000s, while he also spent time at the club as their sporting director.
However, that hasn’t stopped him from giving an honest verdict on why Messi only managed 36 goals in 39 games last season, his lowest goals tally since the 2008/09 season, and he has solely blamed it on his diet.
“Before he would eat at the club and then rest afterwards, but it seems to me that last year Messi ate more pizzas than he wanted or needed,” Rexach told Regio7, Eurosport reports.
Barcelona failed to win a trophy last year and critics pointed the finger at the 27-year-old for being one of the reasons why they didn’t achieve the level of success that the club has grown accustomed to.
Messi has responded with 41 goals in 40 games in all competitions so far this season while his overall tally now stands at 437 goals in 558 games for both club and country.
However, he will be keen on ensuring that his upturn in form this year results in silverware for the Spanish giants as Luis Enrique looks to enjoy immediate success after being appointed coach last summer.
Rexach also criticised the 44-year-old for “starting with too many rules” and he believes that his approach will come back to haunt him.
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