A former Argentina international says that the Barcelona star “spoils” his team

Former Argentina goalkeeper Hugo Gatti has claimed that Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is no longer phenomenal and that he “spoils” his team because of the slow tempo he plays at.

The two-time Copa Libertadores winner with Boca Juniors has claimed that the 32-year-old “walks more on the pitch now” than he used to.

Despite this suggestion, Messi has still scored 23 goals in 30 appearances for the Catalans this season, laying on another 16.

That has not spared him from Gatti, though.

“I don’t care if they criticise me in Argentina,” he told El Chiringuito.

“I’m very Argentinian and Messi is a phenomenon, but he’s not a phenomenon now

“They treat him wrong because they big him up and big him up and treat him wrong. He gets used to it and walks more on the pitch. He has to be better.

“Cristiano [Ronaldo] and him are the two best. 

“Messi has to be better, he’s got used to playing at a weary rhythm, walking and those that know football think the same. Take off, kid. You have to play well.

“When there’s a player like Messi, like it was with Maradona and Pele, and his teammates always give the ball to him to win the game.

“They spoil the team and they don’t put everything they have into it.

“The team get used to giving him the ball and not anyone else.”

Messi is regarded as one of the outstanding players of all-time, having won the Ballon d’Or on six different occasions, including the 2019 award.